trace
verb [ T ] uk/treɪs/ us/treɪs/
(FIND)
C1 找到，查出，发现
to find someone or something that was lost
The police are trying to trace the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned outside a hospital. 警察试图查出那位把新生婴儿抛弃在医院外面的母亲。
Attempts to trace the whereabouts of a man seen leaving the scene of the crime have so far been unsuccessful. 有人曾看到一名男子离开犯罪现场，但迄今为止追查该男子下落的种种努力一无所获。
Their missing daughter was finally traced to (= found in) Manchester. 他们失踪的女儿最终在曼彻斯特找到了。
C1 追查…的来源
to find the origin of something
The phone company was unable to trace the call. 电话公司查不出这个电话来自何处。
No one has yet been able to trace the source of the rumour. 还没有人能够查出谣言的出处。
（根据事物的发展方式）查明…的起因（或源头），追溯
to discover the causes or origins of something by examining the way in which it has developed
The outbreak of food poisoning was traced to some contaminated shellfish. 经调查，这次食物中毒源于一些受到污染的贝类。
She has traced her family history back to the seventeenth century. 她把家族历史追溯到了十七世纪。
The practice of giving eggs at Easter can be traced back to (= first happened in) festivals in ancient China. 复活节送彩蛋的习俗可追溯至中国古代的节庆活动。
描绘…的发展方式
to describe the way in which something has developed
The film traces the events leading up to the Russian Revolution in 1917. 该影片描述了导致1917年俄国革命爆发的一系列事件。
- More examples
- The city of Tours can trace its roots back to Roman times.
- The new system can trace a phone call in a fraction of a second.
- He has traced his family back to Norman times.
- We are trying to trace everyone who spoke to her that day.
- Police are trying to trace a man in connection with the murder.
(DRAW)
（把透明纸覆盖在底样上）描摹
to copy a drawing or pattern, etc. by drawing over its lines through a thin piece of transparent paper
Did you draw this picture yourself, or did you trace it? 这幅画是你自己画的，还是你描摹的？
She learned to write her name by tracing out the letters. 她通过描摹字母学会了写自己的名字。
勾画出…的轮廓
to draw a shape by showing the main or outer lines
The child was tracing patterns in/on the sand with a stick. 孩子用棍子在沙子上勾画出一个个图案。
trace
noun uk/treɪs/ us/treɪs/
(SIGN/RECORD)
B2 [ C or U ]痕迹，踪迹
a sign that something has happened or existed
He attempted to cover up all the traces of his crime. 他试图掩盖他犯罪的蛛丝马迹。
When she moved out, she left no trace of having been there. 她搬走后，没有留下任何在那儿住过的痕迹。
My wallet has been missing for several days and I can't find any trace of it. 我的钱包不见好几天了，而我就是找不到它。
He seems to have vanished without (a) trace (= no one knows where he is). 他似乎已经消失得无影无踪了。
[ C ]（利用电子仪器的）追踪，描记图
an act of finding information about something electronically, or the record of the information found in this way
The phone company put a trace on the call. 电话公司用电子仪器追踪了这次通话。
- More examples
- There is no trace of their camp left.
- The foxes left no traces.
- They covered up all traces of their visit.
- The hedgehog ate the bread and milk but left no trace.
- Police can find no trace of the man since last week.
(SLIGHT AMOUNT)
[ C ]微量，少许
a very slight amount
Traces of drugs were found in his blood. 在他的血液中发现了少许毒品。
There is just a trace of grey in his hair. 他头发中夹杂着少许白发。
She speaks English without any trace of an accent. 她讲英语丝毫不带口音。
There was the faintest trace of a smile on her lips. 她的唇边带着一丝微笑。
"How wonderful!" she said, without any trace of sarcasm. “多好啊！”她说道，语气中丝毫没有挖苦的意思。