trace

A very small amount of something, often left behind or difficult to notice.

• There was a trace of milk left.
• Tests found traces of chemicals in the water.
• She answered with a trace of a smile.

How to use it: a trace of something (There was a trace of blood on the floor.)

Similar words: hint, touch, little bit

Common phrases: trace of something, tiny trace, trace amounts

A record or tracked path that helps find where something came from or where someone is.

• The trace led police to the caller.
• They requested a trace on the phone call.
• A computer trace revealed the message's source.

How to use it: a trace on something (The police put a trace on the call.)

Similar words: track, trail

Common phrases: trace on something, phone trace, call trace

A mark showing that a person or animal has passed through a place.

• The animal left a trace in the mud.
• Rain washed away every trace of their passage.
• Did you find any traces near the river?

How to use it: trace of someone/something (We found a trace of the fox in the snow.)

Similar words: track, mark

Common phrases: leave a trace, trace of someone

A line produced by a machine that records changes in something, such as a heartbeat.

• The trace shows a steady heartbeat.
• Two traces appeared on the monitor.
• The doctor examined the trace for unusual changes.

Similar words: tracing, recording

Common phrases: heart trace, electrical trace, trace on something

A thin metal path that carries electricity across a circuit board.

• This trace carries the signal.
• A broken trace stopped the board from working.
• The designer made the power traces wider.

Similar words: conductive track

Common phrases: copper trace, circuit trace, trace width

To use information to discover where something began or where someone or something went.

• Police traced the missing boy.
• We traced the smell to a broken pipe.
• Can you trace your family back three generations?

How to use it: trace something back to something (We can trace the custom back to ancient Rome.); trace someone/something to somewhere (Police traced the car to a nearby town.)

Similar words: track, track down

Common phrases: trace something back, trace the source, trace someone to

To draw a line or shape gently and carefully.

• She traced a circle in the dust.
• He traced the outline with his finger.
• Trace a light line along the edge.

Similar words: draw, sketch

Common phrases: trace a line, trace a circle, trace an outline

To copy a picture by drawing over its lines through a thin sheet of paper.

• Trace the picture onto thin paper.
• I traced the map for my project.
• The children are tracing simple shapes.

Similar words: copy

Common phrases: trace a picture, trace the outline, trace a map