2 ADJ [ADJ n] Tragic is used to refer to tragedy as a type of literature. □ …Michael Henchard, the tragic hero of 'The Mayor of Casterbridge'.
tragi-comedy /træ dʒi kɒ mədi/ (tragi-comedies ) also tragicomedy N‑COUNT A tragi-comedy is a play or other written work that is both sad and amusing.
tragi-comic /træ dʒi kɒ m I k/ also tragicomic ADJ Something that is tragi-comic is both sad and amusing at the same time.
trail ◆◇◇ /tre I l/ (trails , trailing , trailed )
1 N‑COUNT A trail is a rough path across open country or through forests. □ He was following a broad trail through the trees.
2 N‑COUNT A trail is a route along a series of paths or roads, often one that has been planned and marked out for a particular purpose. □ …a large area of woodland with hiking and walking trails.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A trail is a series of marks or other signs of movement or other activities left by someone or something. □ [+ of ] Everywhere in the house was a sticky trail of orange juice.
4 VERB If you trail someone or something, you follow them secretly, often by finding the marks or signs that they have left. □ [V n] Two detectives were trailing him. □ [V n prep/adv] I trailed her to a shop in Kensington.
5 N‑COUNT [n N ] You can refer to all the places that a politician visits in the period before an election as their campaign trail . □ During a recent speech on the campaign trail, he was interrupted by hecklers.
6 VERB If you trail something or it trails , it hangs down loosely behind you as you move along. □ [V n] She came down the stairs slowly, trailing the coat behind her. □ [V prep] He let his fingers trail in the water.
7 VERB If someone trails somewhere, they move there slowly, without any energy or enthusiasm, often following someone else. □ [V adv/prep] He trailed through the wet Manhattan streets.
8 VERB [usu cont] If a person or team in a sports match or other contest is trailing , they have a lower score than their opponents. □ [V amount] He scored again, leaving Dartford trailing 3-0 at the break. □ [V + behind ] She took over as chief executive of the company when it was trailing behind its competitors.
9 PHRASE If you are on the trail of a person or thing, you are trying hard to find them or find out about them. □ The police were hot on his trail.
10 → see also nature trail , paper trail
11 to blaze a trail → see blaze
▸ trail off or trail away PHRASAL VERB If a speaker's voice or a speaker trails off or trails away , their voice becomes quieter and they hesitate until they stop speaking completely. □ [V P ] 'But he had no reason. He of all men…' Kate's voice trailed off. COLLOCATIONS trail NOUN 2
noun + trail : hiking, nature, walking; forest, mountain
adjective + trail : scenic, waymarked
trail|blazer /tre I lble I zə r / (trailblazers ) N‑COUNT A trailblazer is a person who is the leader in a particular field, especially who does a particular thing before anyone else does. □ He has been the trailblazer and given British sprinters the belief that we are able to take on and beat the world's best.
trai l-blazing also trailblazing ADJ [ADJ n] A trail-blazing idea, event, or organization is new, exciting, and original. □ …a trail-blazing agreement that could lead to a global ban on nuclear weapons.
trail|er /tre I lə r / (trailers )
1 N‑COUNT A trailer is a container on wheels which is pulled by a car or other vehicle and which is used for transporting large or heavy items.
2 N‑COUNT A trailer is the long rear section of a lorry or truck, in which the goods are carried.
3 N‑COUNT A trailer is a long vehicle without an engine which people use as a home or as an office and which can be pulled behind a car. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, use caravan 4 N‑COUNT A trailer for a film or television programme is a set of short extracts which are shown to advertise it.
trai l|er park (trailer parks ) also trailer court N‑COUNT A trailer park is an area where people can pay to park their trailers and live in them. [AM ] in BRIT, use caravan site
trai l|er trash N‑UNCOUNT [with sing or pl verb] Some people use trailer trash to refer to poor people who live in trailer parks and who they think are vulgar or worthless. This use could cause offence. [AM , INFORMAL , OFFENSIVE , DISAPPROVAL ]
trai l|er truck (trailer trucks ) N‑COUNT A trailer truck is a truck or lorry that is made in two or more sections which are joined together by metal bars, so that the vehicle can turn more easily. [AM ] in BRIT, usually use articulated lorry
train
➊ NOUN USES
➋ VERB USES
➊ train ◆◆◇ /tre I n/ (trains )
1 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A train is a number of carriages, cars, or trucks which are all connected together and which are pulled by an engine along a railway. Trains carry people and goods from one place to another. □ The train pulled into a station. □ We can catch the early morning train. □ He arrived in Shenyang by train yesterday.
2 N‑COUNT A train of vehicles, people, or animals is a long line of them travelling slowly in the same direction. □ [+ of ] …a long train of oil tankers.