---
title: trail — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «trail» in the school dictionary: A trail is a path through the countryside, a forest or mountains. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# trail

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** trail, We, snail, you, detective, team · **What happens:** be, leave, trail, drag, lose, walk · **To what, where:** path, countryside, line, marks, someone, ground

<!-- .vabout -->
«trail» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [trail in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/trail.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A trail is a path through the countryside, a forest or mountains.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:m1:1
# text = A trail is a path through the countryside, a forest or mountains.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trail	trail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	path	path	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	through	through	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	countryside	countryside	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	mountains	mountain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a trail | a path |  | the countryside |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A trail is a line of marks or signs left by someone or something, like footprints.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:m2:1
# text = A trail is a line of marks or signs left by someone or something, like footprints.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trail	trail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	marks	mark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	signs	sign	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
10	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	like	like	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	footprints	footprint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a trail | a line |  |  |  | of marks or signs | tree rules |
| 2 | **leave** | participle |  | marks or signs *not said here* |  |  |  | by someone | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent by someone=Location |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To trail is to follow behind someone, or to drag along the ground behind.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:m3:1
# text = To trail is to follow behind someone, or to drag along the ground behind.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	trail	trail	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	follow	follow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	drag	drag	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
12	along	along	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
15	behind	behind	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trail** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | someone |  | follow *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **drag** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the ground |  | behind *property* | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent along ground=Location |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To trail in a game is to be losing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:m4:1
# text = To trail in a game is to be losing.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	trail	trail	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	aux	_	_
9	losing	lose	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trail** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | a game |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent in game=Trajectory |
| 2 | **lose** | present · progressive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We walked the nature trail around the lake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:x1:1
# text = We walked the nature trail around the lake.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	nature	nature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	trail	trail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	around	around	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	lake	lake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk** | past | We | the nature trail |  | the lake |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent trail=Theme around lake=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The snail left a shiny trail.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:x2:1
# text = The snail left a shiny trail.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	snail	snail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	left	leave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	shiny	shiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	trail	trail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | past | the snail | a shiny trail |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trail=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stay on the trail so you don't get lost.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:x3:1
# text = Stay on the trail so you don't get lost.
1	Stay	stay	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	on	on	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	trail	trail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
7	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
9	get	get	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stay** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | the trail |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on trail=Location |
| 2 | **not** **lose** | present · passive · do-support |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The detective followed a trail of clues.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:x4:1
# text = The detective followed a trail of clues.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	detective	detective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	followed	follow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	trail	trail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	clues	clue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | past | the detective | a trail of clues |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trail=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her long scarf trailed on the ground.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:x5:1
# text = Her long scarf trailed on the ground.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	scarf	scarf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	trailed	trail	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trail** | participle |  | Her long scarf *not said here* |  | the ground |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent on ground=Trajectory |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our team was trailing by three goals at half time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:x6:1
# text = Our team was trailing by three goals at half time.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	trailing	trail	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	goals	goal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	half	half	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	10	amod	_	_
10	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trail** | past · progressive | Our team |  |  |  | time | by three goals | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent by goal=Trajectory |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hansel and Gretel left a trail of crumbs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:x7:1
# text = Hansel and Gretel left a trail of crumbs.
1	Hansel	hansel	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
3	Gretel	Gretel	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	left	leave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	trail	trail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	crumbs	crumb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hansel** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **leave** | past | Gretel | a trail of crumbs |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trail=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some carried their tails over their arms, while others trailed them proudly along.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trail:x8:1
# text = Some carried their tails over their arms, while others trailed them proudly along.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	nsubj	_	_
2	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	tails	tail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	over	over	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	trailed	trail	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	proudly	proudly	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
14	along	along	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | past | Some | their tails |  | tails's arms |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tail=Theme |
| 2 | **trail** | past | others | tails *= tail* |  |  |  | along, proudly *property* | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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