trace verb
1 find out where sth is/where it comes from
ADV. successfully
VERB + TRACE be able/unable to, can Police have been unable to trace her movements during her final days. | attempt to, try to | help (to) | fail to | be difficult to | be possible to
PREP. to The stolen paintings have been successfully traced to a London warehouse.
2 find/describe the cause/origin of sth
ADV. carefully | easily Words have over the centuries acquired meanings not easily traced in dictionaries. | directly | historically | back
VERB + TRACE can | attempt to, try to | be difficult to The origins of the custom are difficult to trace. | be possible to
PREP. to The book traces the history of the game back to an incident in 1863.
3 mark where the line of sth is with a thin object
ADV. lightly
PREP. with She lightly traced the outline of his face with her finger.