trail (3)

[An abbrev. of entrail (q.v.).] Cook.: Intestines of certain birds, as the snipe, and fishes, as the red mullet, which are sent to the table instead of being extracted or drawn. The name is sometimes given to the entrails of sheep. "The thrush is presented with the trail , because the bird feeds on olives."- Smollett : Travels , let. xviii. *trail-bas-ton, *trayl-bas-ton, s. [O. Fr. tray (Lat. trahe ) =deliver up, take away, le def. article, and bast on =a wand of office.] Old Law : One of a company of persons who bound themselves together by oath to a ist one another against any one who displeased a member of their body. They were so called because they carried (or trailed) sticks, and committed acts of violence, They arose in the reign of Edward I., and judges were appointed expre ly to try them. trail-er, s. [Eng. trail , v.; -er.] 1. One who or that which trails. "With many a deep-hued bell-like flower Of fragrant trailers." Tennyson: Eleanore. 2. Specif .: A self-acting brake formerly used on inclined planes. 3. A street-car drawn behind the motor of an electric line, or the grip-car of a cable line. trail-ing, pr.par.ora. [TRAIL, v .] 1. Ord. Lang .: (See the verb.) 2. Botany: Of an elongated prostrate habit of growth.