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| Date: | 1200-1300 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | tracier, from Vulgar Latin tractiare 'to pull', from Latin trahere |
1 to find someone or something that has disappeared by searching for them carefully : 
She had given up all hope of tracing her missing daughter.Police are trying to trace a young woman who was seen near the accident.
find somebody/something
She had given up all hope of tracing her missing daughter.Police are trying to trace a young woman who was seen near the accident.2 to find the origins of when something began or where it came from
origins
trace something (back) to something They've traced their ancestry to Scotland. The style of these paintings can be traced back to early medieval influences.
They've traced their ancestry to Scotland.The style of these paintings can be traced back to early medieval influences.3 to study or describe the history, development, or progress of something : Sondheim's book traces the changing nature of the relationship between men and women.
history/development
Sondheim's book traces the changing nature of the relationship between men and women.4 to copy a drawing, map etc by putting a piece of transparent paper over it and then drawing the lines you can see through the paper
copy
5 to draw real or imaginary lines on the surface of something, usually with your finger or toe
with your finger
6 to find out where a telephone call is coming from by using special electronic equipment : His call was traced and half an hour later police arrested him.
trace a call
TCTHis call was traced and half an hour later police arrested him. —traceable adjective
