trail

/treɪl/ verb

Definition

› [I or T] to be less successful than competitors or than expected: This company's shares have left most rivals trailing. Precious-metal stocks trailed, at 124.35.trail behind sth Prices of mortgage-backed securities trailed behind the gains of the Treasury. Internet access in the U.S. trails Japan when it comes to speed.

› [T] to advertise something before it is available to buy, see, use, etc: The heavily trailed announcements on ISA changes were widely welcomed. The home secretary trailed his new law in an article in a newspaper yesterday.

› [I or T] to happen after or follow something: trail behind sth The service, free at the point of use, perpetually trails behind demand. History suggests that consumer spending declines usually trail consumer confidence declines by about 3 months.

(Definition of trail verb from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)