trailing

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English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈtɹeɪ.lɪŋ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪlɪŋ

Adjective

trailing (not comparable)

  1. (rail transport, of points and crossovers) That converge in the direction of travel.
    • 1955 January, R. S. McNaught, “From the Severn to the Mersey by Great Western”, in Railway Magazine, page 18:
      On the far hillside we are approaching can be descried a bridge on the first section (Ruabon–Llangollen) of the important G.W.R. branch to Dolgelley, which will shortly join our main line by means of a trailing junction.
  2. That follows behind; especially, that is attached and pulled behind.
    the trailing railcars
    the trailing comments
    no trailing whitespace characters
    • 1961 February, “New English Electric diesels for East Africa”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 90–91:
      On the long, continuous downgrades of East Africa dynamic braking is of special value; the traction motors are used as generators and their energy output dissipated in force-ventilated banks of resistors. This facility enables a 700-ton trailing load, for example, to be brought down a 1 in 66 gradient at any selected speed between 14 and 25 m.p.h. without use of the air brakes.
    • 2022 November 16, Paul Bigland, “From rural branches to high-speed arteries”, in RAIL, number 970, page 55:
      Having reversed at Eastbourne, I am in the trailing car, which leaps and fishtails around so much on our way to Bexhill that I have trouble writing coherent notes.

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

trailing

  1. present participle and gerund of trail

Noun

trailing (plural trailings)

  1. Fabric or other material that trails.
    • 1901, Mary E. Wilkins, The Portion of Labor:
      […] their roots, projecting in fibrous sprawls from their trunks, were their feet, and she pictured them advancing with wide trailings, and rustlings as of green draperies […]
    • 2010, Regina S. Baraban, Joseph F. Durocher, Successful Restaurant Design:
      All too often, the spout of a soap dispenser rests over the counter and leaves trailings of soap that must be wiped up frequently if a clean appearance is to be maintained.

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