trace

to discover or find out information about someone or something, especially by looking carefully and asking questions

descubrir, encontrar información sobre

• trace somebody/something

Collocations trace a person's background · trace the history of something

• The police are trying to trace the missing child.

  La policía está intentando localizar al niño desaparecido.

to draw a line or picture very carefully, usually by copying it from another drawing or photograph

dibujar con precisión, copiar

• trace something

Collocations trace a design · trace an outline

• She traced the pattern on the wall.

  Ella trazó el patrón en la pared.

to find out where something comes from or who made it, especially by following a series of events or actions back to its origin

encontrar el origen de algo

• trace the source of something

Collocations trace the origins of a tradition · trace the development of an idea

• Scientists are tracing the origin of the virus.

  Los científicos están rastreando el origen del virus.

to follow and find someone or something, especially by looking for signs of them

seguir los pasos de alguien o algo

• trace somebody/something

Collocations trace a suspect's movements · trace the path of something

• They are tracing his movements since he left home.

  Están rastreando sus movimientos desde que salió de casa.

a very small amount of something, especially when it is difficult to find or measure

pequeña cantidad, rastro

• trace of something

Collocations a trace of an emotion · detect a trace of something

• There was just the faintest trace of a smile on her face.

  Solo había el más leve rastro de una sonrisa en su rostro.

a very thin line, especially one that is made by a pencil or pen

línea fina, trazo

• trace of something

Collocations drawn in fine trace · make a faint trace

• The drawing was made with very fine traces.

  El dibujo se hizo con trazos muy finos.

a thin line of metal on a circuit board that connects two parts of an electronic device

circuito, línea de conexión

• trace of something

Collocations a faulty trace on a circuit board · repair a broken trace

• The technician found a faulty trace and fixed it.

  El técnico encontró un trazo defectuoso y lo arregló.

a copy of something made by putting a sheet of paper over it and rubbing with a pencil or crayon to make the marks appear on the paper

retrato, copia de un dibujo

• trace of something

Collocations make a trace of an image · a detailed trace of a design

• She made a trace of the painting.

  Ella hizo un retrato del cuadro.