[treɪs], (Verb)

Definitions:
- find or discover by investigation
(e.g: police are trying to trace a white van seen in the area)

- copy (a drawing, map, or design) by drawing over its lines on a superimposed piece of transparent paper
(e.g: trace a map of the world on to a large piece of paper)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English (first recorded as a noun in the sense ‘path that someone or something takes’): from Old French trace (noun), tracier (verb), based on Latin tractus (see tract)

[treɪs], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a mark, object, or other indication of the existence or passing of something
(e.g: remove all traces of the old adhesive)

- a very small quantity, especially one too small to be accurately measured
(e.g: his body contained traces of amphetamines)

- a procedure to investigate the source of something, such as the place from which a telephone call was made
(e.g: we've got a trace on the call)

- a line which represents the projection of a curve or surface on a plane or the intersection of a curve or surface with a plane

- a path or track

- the sum of the elements in the principal diagonal of a square matrix


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English (first recorded as a noun in the sense ‘path that someone or something takes’): from Old French trace (noun), tracier (verb), based on Latin tractus (see tract)

[treɪs], (Noun)

Definitions:
- each of the two side straps, chains, or ropes by which a horse is attached to a vehicle that it is pulling
(e.g: the horses pulling the carriage suddenly snapped the traces and bolted off)


Phrases:
- kick over the traces

Origin:
Middle English (denoting a pair of traces): from Old French trais, plural of trait (see trait)