I. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a flash/trace/touch of humour (= a very small amount of humour )
▪
She replied with a rare flash of humour.
a hint/trace of amusement (= a small amount in someone's eyes or voice )
▪
Was there a hint of amusement in her voice?
a hint/trace of an accent
▪
I could detect the hint of a German accent in her voice.
a hint/trace/flicker of emotion (= a very small sign that someone feels an emotion )
▪
I thought I saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes.
a trace of poison (= a small amount of poison that is still present somewhere )
▪
Traces of the poison were found in the family car.
disappear without a trace ( also disappear without trace British English ) (= completely )
▪
Hundreds of people disappear without trace every year.
hint/trace/edge/touch of sarcasm
▪
There was just a touch of sarcasm in her voice.
trace an outline (= draw the outline of something, usually with your finger or toe )
▪
She traced the outline of his lips with her fingers.
trace element
trace its origins to sth (= used to say that something can find evidence that it began to exist at a particular time or in a particular place )
▪
The Roman Catholic Church traces its origins back to the 4th century.
trace sth's evolution (= find the origins of when an animal, plant etc began or where it came from )
▪
Anthropologists can trace the evolution of plants and animals by examining fossils.
trace sth's evolution (= find the origins of when something began or where it came from )
▪
The show traced the evolution of black American music from gospel through soul to hip-hop
trace the history of sth (= find out what the history of something is )
▪
James traces the history of modern cricket back to its beginnings in the late 1700s.
trace the origin of sth (= find where, when etc something began to exist )
▪
It’s difficult to trace the origin of some words.
trace/hint/touch of irony
▪
Wagner calls his program ‘the worst talk show in America,’ without a hint of irony.
tracing paper
vanish without (a) trace/vanish off the face of the earth (= disappear so that no sign remains )
▪
The youngster vanished without a trace one day and has never been found.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
back
▪
Could the jeopardy you were in be traced back to the school somehow?
▪
A tax on inherited estates began in 1894, though death duties can be traced back much further.
▪
The theory is that the rage and intensity with which he plays can be traced back to his childhood.
▪
The role of auditors can be traced back many hundreds of years.
▪
The money was traced back to the bills missing from the bank, and the man got what was coming to him.
▪
Each word has component parts which can be traced back to one of 800 roots.
▪
Such patterns could be traced back to the original ranchos, five of which once divided up the Los Angeles basin.
■ NOUN
ancestry
▪
Incidentally, this means that we can use mitochondria to trace our ancestry , strictly down the female line.
▪
Different parts of the cells of trees or elephants trace their ancestry to a whole range of ancient beings.
development
▪
Costing about £150,000, the exhibition traces the development of trams in towns and cities throughout Britain from the Victorian era.
▪
The museum's collecting philosophy is to acquire multiple works of individual artists in order to fully trace their development .
▪
This work traces the development of social movement theory and research.
▪
This knowledge allows him to trace the development of Proustian themes and reconstruct how Proust wrote his book, step by step.
▪
The present system of bargaining and control is therefore best understood by tracing its origins and developments .
▪
In the How to series, Hazel Richardson traces the development of scientific ideas and their applications.
▪
Marshall traced the development of a legal status of citizenship in the United Kingdom through a number of historical stages.
▪
The purpose is to trace the development of expertise in the comprehension and use of GIS-generated maps.
evolution
▪
But the task of this chapter, of tracing the evolution of learning and memory-like phenomena in non-human animals, is done.
▪
The result is deeply layered, complex works tracing that evolution in its historical perspective.
family
▪
The Red Cross is often asked to trace family members and friends who have become separated.
▪
He has made queries to newsgroups, keeping an attentive eye out for others who might be tracing the same family .
▪
Newsgroups are also highly popular as a means of tracing family members who may have fled conflict or natural disaster.
▪
He traced his Ulster family with the help of Barnardos and by placing advertisements in Belfast newspapers.
▪
Last night police were trying to trace relatives of the family , who are thought to have lived in Bristol.
▪
Also, is it possible to trace my family records from this?
▪
Much effort went into tracing remote family connections abroad on the off chance of identifying a benefactor.
finger
▪
My finger traces a path down to the peninsula of Grand Isle.
▪
The middle finger traced a heart on her lips.
▪
She could feel his fingers tracing the curve of her neck.
▪
She felt Ferdi's fingers trace the line of her lashes along her cheek and smiled.
▪
Even now, the fist's bud flowers into trembling, the fingers trace each line and see the future then.
▪
I raise my arm, my finger traces a bird on the shape of the moon over the trees in front of me.
▪
With an outstretched finger , she traced the lines of Pascoe's sleeping face.
▪
Then, his aunt, her long cool fingers tracing his features, stroking his hair.
history
▪
It is possible to obtain Parliamentary materials and it is possible to trace the history .
▪
Her life traced the social history of women in this century.
▪
Rawcliffe Rawcliffe can trace its history back to 1078, the name of the village undergoing many changes in that time.
▪
We have traced her history from the great goddesses of the pre-patriarchal period, especially Inanna and her handmaiden, Lilith.
▪
Can you help me trace the history of my Land Rover?
▪
The book by Folkwin Wendland, a trained garden- and landscape architect, traces its history since 1450.
▪
After a friend recognised the piece of furniture, Mr Pilkington began tracing its history .
▪
And trace the history of Harry Corbett and his successor Matthew Corbett.
line
▪
Purse-strings, whether tightly or slackly held, tend faithfully to trace lines of power.
▪
And I began tracing the lines of his face.
▪
Water trickled from the brown earth near the roots of the bush and traced a dark line through the tall grass.
▪
It has begun tracing lines , through totally vacant space, between recurrences.
▪
The crimson rivulets were lengthening, tracing lines down his throat and soaking into the collar of his overalls.
▪
I hugged him, then traced lines on his biceps, around his back, a five-finger exercise pianissimo.
▪
She felt Ferdi's fingers trace the line of her lashes along her cheek and smiled.
▪
He traced the heart line from her chin to her forehead and down again.
lines
▪
Purse-strings, whether tightly or slackly held, tend faithfully to trace lines of power.
▪
And I began tracing the lines of his face.
▪
The crimson rivulets were lengthening, tracing lines down his throat and soaking into the collar of his overalls.
▪
It has begun tracing lines , through totally vacant space, between recurrences.
▪
More deflector panels sweep the beam backwards and forwards across the screen to trace out the picture lines .
▪
I hugged him, then traced lines on his biceps, around his back, a five-finger exercise pianissimo.
▪
Cyclists traced greasy lines up and down the tarmac.
▪
With an outstretched finger, she traced the lines of Pascoe's sleeping face.
origin
▪
Their analysis traces the political origins and impact of social movement activity in terms of the protection of individual rights of citizenship.
▪
If today such spending amounts to roughly two-thirds of all economic activity, we can trace its origin back to the 1920s.
▪
The present system of bargaining and control is therefore best understood by tracing its origins and developments.
▪
Cellular technology is not a new concept; some authorities have traced its origins to 1947.
▪
This makes tracing the origin a difficult matter.
▪
Many trace the origin of this crisis to the 1993 advent of free agency, which has sent salaries skyrocketing.
▪
They are a very old family and trace their origins back right through the centuries.
▪
In raising such questions, the intention is to lay warnings about tracing the origins of voluntary collectivism in selected traditions.
outline
▪
Slowly and sensually he traced the outline of her lips with the tip of his tongue.
▪
His hand moved round and round, tracing the outline of a blue ring.
▪
Who will trace in sleep the outline of my hips?
▪
I eased the steel strip out, drawing it downward to trace the outline of what seemed to be a bolt.
▪
The artist then laboriously traces the outline of the image placing anchor points and stretching the curves or lines between them.
▪
It's said that he first traced the outline for his ladylike creation around a tall woman friend.
▪
If it is thin enough you will be able to trace the outlines of a plot originally drawn on graph paper.
▪
Instead his mouth pressed against the soft cotton, tracing the outline of her body and making her shudder.
owner
▪
They would be responsible for reminders when premiums became due, and could trace owners through their records.
▪
Voice over Police are hoping to trace original owners but admit it's an uphill task.
▪
With luck, it would contain enough information to trace its owner .
▪
Washing line: Police in Ripon are trying to trace the owners of stolen washing recovered after four men were arrested.
▪
Despite efforts by the police to trace the original owners , some jewellery has remained unclaimed.
▪
Computerised equipment can trace registered owners and send out hundreds of summonses each day.
▪
They'd attempt to trace the owner and inform him, and that was it.
path
▪
My finger traces a path down to the peninsula of Grand Isle.
▪
That other story, likewise, traced the path from poverty to wealth and obscurity to fame.
▪
Through the binoculars, I traced the path I had taken the night before when following Victor.
▪
On this basis, the possibility can be envisaged of tracing the paths of divergent theistic routes.
pattern
▪
But he sat on the stump, tracing patterns in the earth.
▪
She traced a pattern over the rough-hewn stone of the sill, while behind her there was no sound of retreating footsteps.
▪
Various spirals, therefore, trace the patterns of our most important heavenly bodies.
▪
Idly she traced the pattern of the marble-topped table with a slender finger.
▪
Children can trace animal locomotion patterns on lit-up footprints and use plasma screens to project kaleidoscopic patterns on the wall.
▪
The invisible lines, which traced the patterns of their existence, merged into one.
police
▪
It did not take long for the police to trace Mrs Dyer to Caversham where she was arrested.
▪
Mr Collier was last seen alive on June 6 returning to his flat with another man whom police are trying to trace .
▪
Last night police were trying to trace relatives of the family, who are thought to have lived in Bristol.
▪
It took police four days to trace the couple to Bridgnorth in Ontario.
▪
Voice over Police are hoping to trace original owners but admit it's an uphill task.
▪
But police failed to trace the man.
▪
The driver was certified dead at the scene and police were trying to trace relatives last night.
▪
Despite efforts by the police to trace the original owners, some jewellery has remained unclaimed.
problem
▪
Many patients with severe chemical sensitivity trace their problems back to an incident of this sort.
▪
Partnerships have the same tracing problems as sole proprietorships.
▪
Sometimes it is possible to trace some problems with tempo or balance to the parts the musicians are using.
▪
The issue involved with the tracing of any problem or interest is to identify each nexus where a departure becomes apparent.
route
▪
Wycliffe traced the route the undertaker must have taken.
▪
Some will be fitted with satellite collars, in an effort to trace their migratory route .
▪
She began to divert from the path, tracing a semicircular route round the bonnet of the car.
source
▪
For these reasons it is often difficult in many cases to trace a single primary source .
▪
You set up a money chain that makes it impossible to trace the source .
▪
In fact, however far back I trace the source in a horizontal manner, I never reach an ultimate answer.
▪
This sample is being traced through such sources as the Registrar of Births and Deaths, and was identified again in 1981.
▪
In an impressive dream sequence, Westland traces the source of this business inadequacy to his helicopter childhood and wakes up screaming.
▪
This has shown that the two areas produce distinctive mineral suites that can be used to trace the source of ancient sediments.
▪
Trading standards officers are now trying to trace the source of these videos.
▪
The two women remained motionless, gazing up at the ceiling as if to trace the source and direction of the footsteps.
■ VERB
attempt
▪
Although this road emerges on the eastern side of the town, attempts to trace it much further have failed.
▪
The first task attempted will be to trace the train of thought in this unit.
▪
They'd attempt to trace the owner and inform him, and that was it.
begin
▪
She began to trace circles on the table top with the drops of spilt coffee.
▪
And I began tracing the lines of his face.
▪
After a friend recognised the piece of furniture, Mr Pilkington began tracing its history.
▪
It has begun tracing lines, through totally vacant space, between recurrences.
help
▪
Can you help me trace the history of my Land Rover?
▪
The information will help law enforcement authorities trace ownership of the weapon back to the original gun dealer.
▪
He'd even questioned some of the older members of the Lucy Ghosts in private to help trace the fugitive.
try
▪
Police are still trying to trace the occupants of the house in Labrok Road, Trowbridge.
▪
Rumors battled with fact as authorities tried to trace his flight.
▪
Detectives are now trying to trace the ringleader of what could be a new international racket.
▪
Mr Collier was last seen alive on June 6 returning to his flat with another man whom police are trying to trace .
▪
Police in Herefordshire were last night trying to trace Theresa's relatives, who are believed to be on holiday.
▪
It is always worth trying to trace a specific witness if their testimony is important.
▪
Police are trying to trace a young woman cyclist who passed the victim moments before the attack.
▪
Detectives are still trying to trace people who knew Mr McEvoy.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
"Did you draw this yourself?" "No, I traced it."
▪
Keep him on the line so we can trace the call.
▪
Philips hired a private detective to trace his daughter, who had been missing for two months.
▪
Police are still trying to trace the missing child.
▪
Police are trying to trace a red van, which several witnesses reported seeing near the scene of the crime.
▪
Students will trace the development of labor unions in the U.S.
▪
The cash was eventually traced to a prominent Paris lawyer.
▪
The children traced the map of France and then wrote in the names of the places they had visited.
▪
The tradition traces back to medieval Spain.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
It has begun tracing lines, through totally vacant space, between recurrences.
▪
It takes a bit of detective work to trace the symptom back to the cause.
▪
Nor is the manner in which Mumford traces the historical roots of this development much different from that of Wittfogel.
▪
Once again one can trace some continuities of practice with older forms of representation.
▪
The other student has not been traced.
▪
Their ancestry can be traced in the Reading area as far back as 1240.
II. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
faint
▪
There are faint traces of tyre on the road, but no serious skidding.
▪
Actually there is a faint trace of saccharine here.
faintest
▪
Just looked steadily back at him with the faintest trace of a smile.
▪
His own hair was combed out over his shoulders, and for make-up he had used only the faintest trace of kohl.
only
▪
When I examined my own horse's stable I found only traces of hay.
▪
Earlier plot sequences recede into the past of the text; now Slothrop exists only in traces .
▪
Celia perished trying to help some natives dying of pestilence. Only traces of her body have been found.
slight
▪
Never buy a Koi with the slightest trace of fish-pox, for you risk transferring it to your existing fish.
▪
Even if the ship had passed it by, it would not have known the slightest trace of disappointment.
▪
Not the slightest trace of elil no scent or tracks or droppings.
■ NOUN
amount
▪
But there are trace amounts of other elements entrapped within the flint.
▪
The principal immunoglobulin found in secretions is IgA with only trace amounts of IgG present.
analysis
▪
Quantification procedures for micro and trace analysis as well as for surface and thin film analysis are summarized.
▪
A major difficulty is in achieving reliable trace analysis results.
▪
Chapter one discusses the approach to achieving valid trace analysis .
▪
The range comprises the 759A UV/Vis detector, the 785A for trace analysis and the 1000S photodiode array detector.
element
▪
Other minerals required by the body are selenium, manganese, sodium, and other trace elements .
▪
I built up my soil, added trace elements , made compost, never used herbicides or chemical insecticides.
▪
Combinations of other trace elements may also be associated with cobalt-bearing minerals and may be detected in ancient blue glass.
▪
The resin removes the calcium bicarbonate, leaving behind all the essential trace elements .
▪
These deposits also contain various other mineral trace elements .
▪
These days everyone is becoming an expert in the nutritional value of different foods and the importance of vitamins and trace elements .
▪
Or pellets impregnated with trace elements could improve the diets of cattle in impoverished pastures similar pellets would protect cattle from parasites.
▪
While decreasing your energy intake, you must continue to eat enough essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements .
metal
▪
The movement of trace-elements through the environment A large number of chemical reactions take place when trace metals move through the environment.
▪
Continued secretion of cations into gastrointestinal fluids may therefore be important in influencing the absorption of dietary trace metals .
▪
Contamination and poor analytical techniques presumably explain why previous values for trace metals in gastric juice were so high.
■ VERB
bear
▪
At all times, he claims, linen bears the traces of the war between the partners.
▪
Every landscape bears the traces of this continuous and cumulative labour, generation after generation contributing to the whole.
▪
However, her play bore no trace of diminished strength, even at the end.
▪
Let it not bear the traces of work, the traces of time.
▪
His blue eyes beneath the shock of white hair bore a trace of irony.
▪
The sleeve had been carefully spread out and the cuff bore a trace of what could have been blood.
contain
▪
Recent work on the silver coinage has revealed a complex system of which even Domesday contains little trace .
▪
The result is a fine-grained rock containing small traces of metallic iron.
▪
It contains traces of people who are among the first to be photographed in city streets anywhere in the world.
▪
It is located throughout the grains of minerals that contain traces of uranium and thorium, not on grain surfaces.
▪
The flattened rectangular section behind the neck contains traces of a large iron blade, possibly a double-edged dagger or short sword.
▪
These deposits also contain various other mineral trace elements.
▪
Government figures showed that in 1987, 1.6 million people were supplied with water containing too-high traces of nitrates.
▪
Unknown to her, it contained tiny traces of nuts.
detect
▪
He thought that here and there in the slaves he could detect traces of an old lineage.
disappear
▪
Without radio play, a record can disappear without trace .
▪
In 1926, mystery writer Agatha Christie suddenly disappeared without a trace from her native Devon.
▪
The Kershaw Worm had disappeared without a trace .
▪
Two months later, when the researchers went back to look for the megaplume, it had disappeared without a trace .
▪
That way they would disappear without trace .
▪
Hundreds of people disappeared without trace every year.
▪
Just about everyone hoped they would disappear without trace when that tide ebbed and frenetic buying and selling ground to a halt.
▪
It is a bit more surprising, however, when that dealer disappears without a trace .
find
▪
But they found no trace of the highly profitable illegal cargo that it was supposed to be carrying.
▪
Navy planes and ships in abundance combed that area but found no trace .
▪
They found the jacket had been bleached - forensic laboratories could find no trace of blood.
▪
The moment I read it I knew I had found the traces of the primal spirituality I was looking for.
▪
When I examined my own horse's stable I found only traces of hay.
▪
Much later, I learn that he had an artificial leg and limped, but I never find a trace of him.
▪
Although Dundalk is supposed to be a seaside town, I could find no trace of a harbour.
▪
Suppose he went in somewhere above Teddington - you'd almost certainly find traces of fresh water in the clothes.
kick
▪
The poor little thing was kicking against the traces , but she would have to be broken in.
▪
They fall down and get up again; they educate themselves and kick over the traces .
▪
But perhaps even misogynists can kick over the traces .
▪
If one of them kicked over the traces , there was hell to pay until he fell obediently back into line.
leave
▪
Whoever had worked on the case in the laboratory would have been smarter than to leave any traces of the implant visible.
▪
In a sense the Earth was reborn without leaving a trace of its early history.
▪
Not surprisingly the temporary structures erected in these areas have left few archaeological traces .
▪
Three or four shooters would vanish completely, leaving scant traces of their affiliation.
▪
It is curious that a much-employed binder, as he obviously was, should have left no trace in the records.
▪
These narrators know they will go on to leave no trace of their existence.
▪
After a moment the impact vanished, leaving no trace .
▪
I eliminated the primary target and left no traces .
lose
▪
His fitness and determination ensured that he survived a journey on which a lesser man could have been lost without trace .
▪
All sociologists have noted this desire, on the part of immigrants' children, to lose the traces of their origin.
remain
▪
Eighteenth-century maps of historic towns often show elaborate formal gardens behind the houses, but very few traces of these remain .
▪
The epidermis degenerates and little trace of its cells remains in the fully hardened wings.
▪
Despite desperate attempts to revive her, the trace remained stubbornly flat, until in the end they had to give up.
▪
Lyonshall Station was, and I very much doubt that any trace of it remains today, in a very dangerous condition.
▪
His hair was grey but with a trace of red hair remaining in his bushy eyebrows.
▪
Dioxins from the process may be discharged in factory effluent and some traces remain in the paper goods themselves.
▪
When no trace of hair remained visible, he applied strips of newspaper and a warmed towel to complete the process.
▪
Afterwards it vanished without trace and the buyer remains unknown.
remove
▪
She puts them in the washing machine, on long soak, and removes every trace .
▪
He followed all her movements with dreamlike detachment; an all-engulfing numbness seemed to have removed every trace of feeling from him.
▪
They went to considerable lengths to remove all traces of her from the offices and rooms she had used at the Palace.
▪
Once you have dismantled all the loose joints, carefully remove all traces of the old adhesive.
▪
Wipe the wood with a cloth moistened with white spirit to remove any traces of grease or dust.
▪
Although he had removed all trace of labelling from the cassette the Duty Men were not fooled.
▪
When dealing with windows, remove all traces of rust and apply a neutralising agent to badly affected areas.
▪
Both are more refreshing than a toner - and more effective methods of removing the last traces of make-up and oil.
reveal
▪
The bat wing membrane still reveals traces of an apparatus originally constructed for gliding.
▪
Careful scrutiny by telescopes and space probes reveals no trace of any such object.
show
▪
Two tissues discovered in the vicinity showed traces of her mucus and her saliva.
▪
From the start, she ran with authority, showing not a trace of her shyness.
▪
I asked myself how it was that no exhibition had ever shown any trace of eroticism in his work.
▪
Which I did, showing the trace of a distinguished limp.
▪
Tests both in New York and London showed traces of cocaine on over 70 % of bank notes.
▪
Within an hour, 7794 was a dwindling star, showing no trace of a disk.
▪
Salome's blood sample showed no trace of alcohol.
▪
The quotation from Sir William Jones at the beginning of this section shows traces of this prejudice.
sink
▪
Early attempts - including putting a ping-pong ball inside a soap bar - sank without trace .
▪
Now that has all been sunk without trace .
▪
Then the shipyards sank without trace , and it was three years on the dole.
▪
But unlike the Titanic, the story of the Tek Sing and its passengers sank without trace .
▪
If he possessed mind-reading powers, she was sunk without a trace .
▪
It was even tried years ago by Olivetti among others, but those products sank without trace .
▪
Seven singles were to be released from the album, all sinking without a trace .
vanish
▪
After a moment the impact vanished , leaving no trace .
▪
Most of these fireballs burn up or explode in the atmosphere and vanish without a trace .
▪
Well, Poppy vanished without trace .
▪
Many more vanished without a trace .
▪
The relationship lasted for almost three months; then Lavinia vanished without trace .
▪
How can an entire house vanish without a trace .
▪
Moira Anderson vanished without trace in a snow storm while running an errand for her grandmother on 23 February 1957.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
kick over the traces
▪
But perhaps even misogynists can kick over the traces.
▪
If one of them kicked over the traces, there was hell to pay until he fell obediently back into line.
▪
They fall down and get up again; they educate themselves and kick over the traces.
sink without trace
▪
But unlike the Titanic, the story of the Tek Sing and its passengers sank without trace.
▪
Early attempts - including putting a ping-pong ball inside a soap bar - sank without trace.
▪
It was even tried years ago by Olivetti among others, but those products sank without trace.
▪
Many small labels have sunk without trace.
▪
Now that has all been sunk without trace.
▪
The Labour government broke up and the report of the Macmillan Committee sank without trace.
▪
Then the shipyards sank without trace, and it was three years on the dole.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
Hans speaks English beautifully, without a trace of a foreign accent.
▪
Many local people were very eager to get rid of the last traces of their town's shameful past.
▪
The thief was careful not to leave any trace of his activities.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
But this time she couldn't help feeling a trace , just a whisper of his elation.
▪
Celestine was scraping the last traces from her bowl when Lufkin walked over to the cabinet holding his record collection.
▪
Early attempts - including putting a ping-pong ball inside a soap bar - sank without trace .
▪
In 1928 and 1931, two large earthquakes in New Zealand produced strong traces on Seismographs throughout the world.
▪
It contains traces of people who are among the first to be photographed in city streets anywhere in the world.
▪
The flattened rectangular section behind the neck contains traces of a large iron blade, possibly a double-edged dagger or short sword.
▪
The job involves tracking packages, running traces.