All 16 Uses of

trace
in
The Fountainhead

Through a series of untraceable steps he ruined many powerful men: the president of a bank, the head of an insurance company, the owner of a steamship line, and others.†
Chpt 3.1

untraceable = impossible to find

standard prefix: The prefix "un-" in untraceable means not and reverses the meaning of traceable. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.

But they surrendered when they found themselves on the edge of bankruptcy through a series of untraceable circumstances within a few years.†
Chpt 3.1 *

His mouth, a small upturned crescent faultlessly traced, was gentle and generous, and warm with the faint promise of a smile.†
Chpt 1.2

He took a sheet of tracing paper, threw it over the plan and began to draw.†
Chpt 1.5

He would enter the drafting room in the morning, throw a tracing boy's assignment down on Roark's table and say: "Howard, do this up for me, will you?†
Chpt 1.7

Her voice had no trace of apology.†
Chpt 1.9

The voice coming from the loud-speaker was dry, precise, with the faint trace of a British accent.†
Chpt 1.9

I hope I shall be forgiven for a trace of the vain child which is in all of us.†
Chpt 1.9

She saw his mouth and the silent contempt in the shape of his mouth; the planes of his gaunt, hollow cheeks; the cold, pure brilliance of the eyes that had no trace of pity.†
Chpt 2.1

She knew that she wanted to keep the feeling of his body, the traces of his body on hers, knowing also what such a desire implied.†
Chpt 2.2 *

Keating found no trace of that joyous admiration with which she had always spoken of Toohey, which he had expected to see her display in his presence.†
Chpt 2.4

He spoke coldly; his face looked flat; his eyes had no trace of kindness.†
Chpt 2.13

My wife, he thought for the first time, without a trace of respect in the word.†
Chpt 2.14

In the spread of sky and sea, a green sky over a sheet of mercury, tracings of fire remained at the edges of the clouds and in the brass fittings of the yacht.†
Chpt 3.4

Roark sat down beside him; Roark's face was sober, but the trace of a smile remained, amused and watchful, as if every word he heard were not a disclosure but a confirmation.†
Chpt 4.3

She moved her hand, tracing a spiral on the arm of the davenport, to convince herself that she could.†
Chpt 4.4 *

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Best Example Sentences
From Other Sources
Grouped by 4 Meanings

Definitions:

(1) (trace as in: found a trace of)
a small quantity; or any indication or evidence of
The 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."
(2) (trace as in: trace the origin or development)
to find, search, research, or keep track of
This 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
(3) (trace as in: trace a picture or outline)
copy the lines of an image; or draw an outline; or carefully draw a specific pattern
This sense of trace has to do with drawing, but it's specific meaning depends on its context. For example:
copying the outline of an image
- "She used tracing paper to make a copy." -- paper you can see through, so that when it is placed on a picture, you can use a pencil to follow the lines of the image being copied
- "She projected the image onto the wall, hung a sheet of paper there, and traced the projected image onto the paper." -- followed the lines with her pencil
draw an outline or a specific pattern
- "She used her toe to trace half the fish symbol in the sand." -- draw a simple outline
- "The child used a stick to trace circles and swirls in the mud." -- draw
- "She used her finger to trace his name in the sand." -- draw
(4) (trace as in: traced a path)
to follow
The exact meaning of this sense of trace depends upon its context. For example:
- "The hunters traced the deer into the woods." -- followed or tracked
- "With soft kisses, she gently traced the scar running down his cheek." -- followed
- "The path traces along the edge of the forest." -- follows
- "A single tear traced its way down her cheek." -- followed a specific path
(5) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
meaning too rare to warrant focus:

See a comprehensive dictionary for specialized meanings of trace in mathematics, medicine, engineering and other areas.

Page Numbers by Book Edition

trace in The Fountainhead

trace
in
The Fountainhead