trace1/tres; treIs/v [T] 1 to find someone or something that has disappeared by searching for them carefully 仔细找寻: Police are trying to trace her husband. 警方在设法寻找她丈夫。2 to find out where and when something began or how something has developed 追溯﹔探索…的发展: trace sth (back) to sth He traced his family history back to the 17th century. 他把家族史追溯到 17 世纪。The book traces the development of trade. 此书探索了贸易的发展史。 3 to copy something by putting thin paper over it and drawing the lines that you can see through the paper〔用透明纸张覆在某物上〕描摹﹐描绘
trace2n 1 [C,U] a small sign that shows that someone or something has been in a place 踪迹﹐痕迹﹐迹象: +of We found no trace of them on the island. 我们在岛上没有发现他们的踪迹。disappear/vanish without (a) trace (=disappear completely) 消失/隐没得无影无踪 The plane vanished without a trace. 飞机消失得无影无踪。 2 [C] a very small amount of something, which is difficult to notice 微量﹐少许: +of Traces of the drug were found in his body. 在他的尸体内发现了微量的这种药物。