Both Uses of
trace
in
Treasure Island
- I have that curiosity beside me at this moment, but not a trace of writing now remains beyond a single scratch, such as a man might make with his thumb-nail.†
Chpt 29
- Even these bore trace of the drunken folly of the pirates, one in a broken thwart, and both in their muddy and unbailed condition.†
Chpt 31 *
Definition:
-
(trace as in: found a trace of) a small quantity; or any indication or evidence ofThe exact meaning of this sense of trace depends upon its context. For example:
- a small indication that something was present -- as in "The plane disappeared somewhere over the Pacific Ocean without leaving a trace."
- a very small amount of something -- as in "The blood test showed a trace of steroids."
- any evidence of something -- as in "We did not find a trace of the gene."