Shadow vs. Trail

Shadownoun

A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object.

‘My shadow lengthened as the sun began to set.’; ‘The X-ray showed a shadow on his lung.’;

Trailverb

(transitive) To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something).

‘The hunters trailed their prey deep into the woods.’;

Shadownoun

Relative darkness, especially as caused by the interruption of light; gloom, obscurity.

‘I immediately jumped into shadow as I saw them approach.’;

Trailverb

(transitive) To drag (something) behind on the ground.

‘You'll get your coat all muddy if you trail it around like that.’;

Shadownoun

(obsolete) A reflected image, as in a mirror or in water.

Trailverb

(transitive) To leave (a trail of).

‘He walked into the house, soaking wet, and trailed water all over the place.’;

Shadownoun

That which looms as though a shadow.

‘I don't have a shadow of doubt in my mind that my plan will succeed. The shadow of fear of my being outed always affects how I live my life. I lived in her shadow my whole life.’;

Trailverb

(transitive) To show a trailer of (a film, TV show etc.); to release or publish a preview of (a report etc.) in advance of the full publication.

‘His new film was trailed on TV last night.’; ‘There were no surprises in this morning's much-trailed budget statement.’;

Shadownoun

A small degree; a shade.

‘He did not give even a shadow of respect to the professor.’;

Trailverb

(intransitive) To hang or drag loosely behind; to move with a slow sweeping motion.

‘The bride's long dress trailed behind her as she walked down the aisle.’;

Shadownoun

An imperfect and faint representation.

‘He came back from war the shadow of a man.’; ‘the neopagan ritual was only a pale shadow of the ones the Greeks held thousands of years ago’;

Trailverb

(intransitive) To run or climb like certain plants.

Shadownoun

A trainee, assigned to work with an experienced officer.

Trailverb

(intransitive) To drag oneself lazily or reluctantly along.

‘Our parents marched to church and we trailed behind.’;

Shadownoun

One who secretly or furtively follows another.

‘The constable was promoted to working as a shadow for the Royals.’;

Trailverb

To be losing, to be behind in a competition.

Shadownoun

A type of lettering form of word processors that makes a cubic effect.

Trailverb

(military) To carry (a firearm) with the breech near the ground and the upper part inclined forward, the piece being held by the right hand near the middle.

Shadownoun

An influence, especially a pervasive or a negative one.

Trailverb

To flatten (grass, etc.) by walking through it; to tread down.

Shadownoun

A spirit; a ghost; a shade.

Trailverb

(dated) To take advantage of the ignorance of; to impose upon.

Shadownoun

An uninvited guest accompanying one who was invited.

Trailnoun

The track or indication marking the route followed by something that has passed, such as the footprints of animal on land or the contrail of an airplane in the sky.

Shadownoun

(psychology) In Jungian psychology, an unconscious aspect of the personality.

Trailnoun

A route for travel over land, especially a narrow, unpaved pathway for use by hikers, horseback riders, etc.

Shadowverb

To block light or radio transmission.

‘Looks like that cloud's going to shadow us.’;

Trailnoun

A trailer broadcast on television for a forthcoming film or programme.

Shadowverb

(espionage) To secretly or discreetly track or follow another, to keep under surveillance.

Trailnoun

(graph theory) A walk in which all the edges are distinct.

Shadowverb

To accompany a professional during the working day, so as to learn about an occupation one intends to take up.

Trailverb

To hunt by the track; to track.

Shadowverb

(programming) To make an identifier, usually a variable, inaccessible by declaring another of the same name within the scope of the first.

Trailverb

To draw or drag, as along the ground.

‘And hung his head, and trailed his legs along.’; ‘They shall not trail me through their streetsLike a wild beast.’; ‘Long behind he trails his pompous robe.’;

Shadowverb

(computing) To apply the shadowing process to (the contents of ROM).

Trailverb

To carry, as a firearm, with the breech near the ground and the upper part inclined forward, the piece being held by the right hand near the middle.

Shadowadjective

Unofficial, informal, unauthorized, but acting as though it were.

‘The human resources department has a shadow information technology group without headquarters knowledge.’;

Trailverb

To tread down, as grass, by walking through it; to lay flat.

Shadowadjective

Having power or influence, but not widely known or recognized.

‘The director has been giving shadow leadership to the other group's project to ensure its success.’; ‘The illuminati shadow group has been pulling strings from behind the scenes.’;

Trailverb

To take advantage of the ignorance of; to impose upon.

‘I presently perceived she was (what is vernacularly termed) trailing Mrs. Dent; that is, playing on her ignorance.’;

Shadowadjective

(politics) Acting in a leadership role before being formally recognized.

‘The shadow cabinet cannot agree on the terms of the agreement due immediately after they are sworn in.’; ‘The insurgents’ shadow government is being crippled by the federal military strikes.’;

Trailverb

To be drawn out in length; to follow after.

‘When his brother saw the red blood trail.’;

Shadowadjective

Part of, or related to, the opposition in government.

Trailverb

To grow to great length, especially when slender and creeping upon the ground, as a plant; to run or climb.

Shadownoun

Shade within defined limits; obscurity or deprivation of light, apparent on a surface, and representing the form of the body which intercepts the rays of light; as, the shadow of a man, of a tree, or of a tower. See the Note under Shade, n., 1.

Trailnoun

A track left by man or beast; a track followed by the hunter; a scent on the ground by the animal pursued; as, a deer trail.

‘They traveled in the bed of the brook, leaving no dangerous trail.’; ‘How cheerfully on the false trail they cry!’;

Shadownoun

Darkness; shade; obscurity.

‘Night's sable shadows from the ocean rise.’;

Trailnoun

A footpath or road track through a wilderness or wild region; as, an Indian trail over the plains.

Shadownoun

A shaded place; shelter; protection; security.

‘In secret shadow from the sunny ray,On a sweet bed of lilies softly laid.’;

Trailnoun

Anything drawn out to a length; as, the trail of a meteor; a trail of smoke.

‘When lightning shoots in glittering trails along.’;

Shadownoun

A reflected image, as in a mirror or in water.

Trailnoun

Anything drawn behind in long undulations; a train.

Shadownoun

That which follows or attends a person or thing like a shadow; an inseparable companion; hence, an obsequious follower.

‘Sin and her shadow Death.’;

Trailnoun

Anything drawn along, as a vehicle.

Shadownoun

A spirit; a ghost; a shade; a phantom.

Trailnoun

A frame for trailing plants; a trellis.

Shadownoun

An imperfect and faint representation; adumbration; indistinct image; dim bodying forth; hence, mystical representation; type.

‘The law having a shadow of good things to come.’; ‘[Types] and shadows of that destined seed.’;

Trailnoun

The entrails of a fowl, especially of game, as the woodcock, and the like; - applied also, sometimes, to the entrails of sheep.

‘The woodcock is a favorite with epicures, and served with its trail in, is a delicious dish.’;

Shadownoun

A small degree; a shade.

Trailnoun

That part of the stock of a gun carriage which rests on the ground when the piece is unlimbered. See Illust. of Gun carriage, under Gun.

Shadownoun

An uninvited guest coming with one who is invited.

‘I must not have my board pastered with shadowsThat under other men's protection break inWithout invitement.’;

Trailnoun

The act of taking advantage of the ignorance of a person; an imposition.

Shadowverb

To cut off light from; to put in shade; to shade; to throw a shadow upon; to overspead with obscurity.

‘The warlike elf much wondered at this tree,So fair and great, that shadowed all the ground.’;

Trailnoun

a track or mark left by something that has passed;

‘there as a trail of blood’; ‘a tear left its trail on her cheek’;

Shadowverb

To conceal; to hide; to screen.

‘Let every soldier hew him down a bough.And bear't before him; thereby shall we shadowThe numbers of our host.’;

Trailnoun

a path or track roughly blazed through wild or hilly country

Shadowverb

To protect; to shelter from danger; to shroud.

‘Shadowing their right under your wings of war.’;

Trailnoun

evidence pointing to a possible solution;

‘the police are following a promising lead’; ‘the trail led straight to the perpetrator’;

Shadowverb

To mark with gradations of light or color; to shade.

Trailverb

to lag or linger behind;

‘But in so many other areas we still are dragging’;

Shadowverb

To represent faintly or imperfectly; to adumbrate; hence, to represent typically.

‘Augustus is shadowed in the person of æneas.’;

Trailverb

go after with the intent to catch;

‘The policeman chased the mugger down the alley’; ‘the dog chased the rabbit’;

Shadowverb

To cloud; to darken; to cast a gloom over.

‘The shadowed livery of the burnished sun.’; ‘Why sad?I must not see the face O love thus shadowed.’;

Trailverb

move, proceed, or walk draggingly pr slowly;

‘John trailed behind behis class mates’; ‘The Mercedes trailed behind the horse cart’;

Shadowverb

To attend as closely as a shadow; to follow and watch closely, especially in a secret or unobserved manner; as, a detective shadows a criminal.

Trailverb

hang down so as to drag along the ground;

‘The bride's veiled trailed along the ground’;

Shadownoun

shade within clear boundaries

Trailverb

drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground;

‘The toddler was trailing his pants’; ‘She trained her long scarf behind her’;

Shadownoun

an unilluminated area;

‘he moved off into the darkness’;

Trail

A trail is usually a path, track or unpaved lane or road. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, path or footpath is the preferred term for a walking trail.

Shadownoun

something existing in perception only;

‘a ghostly apparition at midnight’;

Shadownoun

a premonition of something adverse;

‘a shadow over his happiness’;

Shadownoun

an indication that something has been present;

‘there wasn't a trace of evidence for the claim’; ‘a tincture of condescension’;

Shadownoun

refuge from danger or observation;

‘he felt secure in his father's shadow’;

Shadownoun

a dominating and pervasive presence;

‘he received little recognition working in the shadow of his father’;

Shadownoun

a spy employed to follow someone and report their movements

Shadownoun

an inseparable companion;

‘the poor child was his mother's shadow’;

Shadowverb

follow, usually without the person's knowledge;

‘The police are shadowing her’;

Shadowverb

cast a shadow over

Shadowverb

make appear small by comparison;

‘This year's debt dwarves that of last year’;

Shadow

A shadow is a dark (real image) area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it.