trace
verb- trace somebody/something (to something)
to find or discover somebody/something by looking carefully for them/it synonym track down查出;找到;發現;追蹤 We finally traced him to an address in Chicago. 我們終於追查到他在芝加哥的一個地址。 I have been unable to trace the letter you mentioned. 我一直無法找到你提到的那封信。
Extra ExamplesTopics Crime and punishmentb2The stolen paintings have been successfully traced to a London warehouse. 失竊的畫已成功地在倫敦的一個倉庫中找到。 Police are anxious to trace the owners of a car parked near the scene. 警方急於找到停在現場附近的一輛汽車的車主。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- successfully
- be able to
- be unable to
- can
- …
- to
- trace something (back) (to something)
to find the origin or cause of something 追溯;追究 She could trace her family tree back to the 16th century. 她能把本族家譜追溯到 16 世紀。 The leak was eventually traced to a broken seal. 最後查出洩漏是由於密封處破裂所致。 The police traced the call (= used special electronic equipment to find out who made the phone call) to her ex-husband's number. 警方用追蹤裝置查出是她前夫的電話號碼打出的電話。
Extra ExamplesTopics Phones, email and the internetb2, Family and relationshipsb2The origins of the custom are difficult to trace. 很難追溯這種風俗的起源。 Words have over the centuries acquired meanings not easily traced in dictionaries. 經過了數百年,詞語的有些含義在詞典裏已難以查到來源。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- carefully
- easily
- directly
- …
- can
- attempt to
- try to
- …
- to
- trace something (from something) (to something)
to describe a process or the development of something 描繪(事物的過程或發展);追述;記述 - trace something (out)
to draw a line or lines on a surface 畫(線) Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- gently
- lightly
- slowly
- …
- with
- trace something
to follow the shape or outline of something 繪出,勾畫出(輪廓) He traced the route on the map. 他在地圖上勾畫出了路線。 A tear traced a path down her cheek. 一滴眼淚沿着她的面頰流了下來。 She lightly traced the outline of his face with her finger. 她輕輕地用手指去感覺他臉的輪廓。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- gently
- lightly
- slowly
- …
- with
- trace something
to copy a map, drawing, etc. by drawing on tracing paper (= paper that you can see through) placed over it (用透明紙覆蓋在地圖、繪畫等上)複制,描摹 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- gently
- lightly
- slowly
- …
- with
Word Originverb 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 ‘drawing, draught’, from trahere ‘draw, pull’.