All 10 Uses of
trace
in
The Fellowship of the Ring
- No Harfoot or Fallohide had any trace of a beard.†
Chpt Pro.
- In the dell itself they found recent traces of a fire, and other signs of a hasty camp.†
Chpt 1.11
- Then through all the years that followed he traced the Ring; but since that history is elsewhere recounted, even as Elrond himself set it down in his books of lore, it is not here recalled.†
Chpt 2.2
- What evil it saith I do not know; but I trace here a copy of it, lest it fade beyond recall.†
Chpt 2.2
- For the traced writing was indeed as Isildur guessed, in the tongue of Mordor and the servants of the Tower.†
Chpt 2.2 *
- Of the Black Riders no other trace was to be seen, and nowhere was their presence to be felt.†
Chpt 2.3
- The Sword of Elendil was forged anew by Elvish smiths, and on its blade was traced a device of seven stars set between the crescent Moon and the rayed Sun, and about them was written many runes; for Aragorn son of Arathorn was going to war upon the marches of Mordor.†
Chpt 2.3
- No trace of the fight remained but the charred trees and the arrows of Legolas lying on the hill-top.†
Chpt 2.4
- They put out the fire and hid all traces of it.†
Chpt 2.6 *
- Come back to this spot, if you find him, or any traces of him.†
Chpt 2.10
Definitions:
-
(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."
-
(trace as in: trace the origin or development) to find, search, research, or keep track ofThis sense of trace usually has to do with information. It's specific meaning depends on its context. For example:
to find or search for something through investigation -- often the origin of something:
- "The police traced the call." -- found out where it originated
- "We are tracing the lost luggage" -- searching for
- "Can you trace the problem to its source?" -- find through investigation
- "She traced her family history to discover that her great-grandmother came to the United States from Lithuania when the Nazis occupied it." -- discovered something through investigation
to research or report on the development of something
- "She traced the history of the automobile in her paper." -- researched the development of something
- "Her presentation traced recent progress in alternative energy solutions." -- reported on
to monitor or keep track of the progress or development of something
- "She traces the progress of at-risk students." -- monitors information
- "I used binoculars to trace her progress up the mountain." -- monitor, follow, or track