Definition

1. Noun:
   • A wheeled vehicle designed to be towed: A trailer is a vehicle without its own engine, intended to be pulled by a car, truck, or tractor. It is often used for transporting goods or as a mobile living space.
   • A preview of a film: A trailer is a short promotional film composed of selected scenes from a forthcoming movie, shown to advertise it.
   • A person who lags behind: (Less common) A trailer can refer to a person who moves or acts more slowly than others, falling behind.

Examples

• Noun (Vehicle):
  • We rented a trailer to move our furniture to the new house.
  • The family traveled across the country in their camper trailer.
• Noun (Film Preview):
  • The trailer for the new superhero movie looks amazing.
  • I saw the trailer before the main feature started.
• Noun (Person):
  • In the race, he was always the trailer, struggling to keep up with the pack.

Advanced Usage

• "To live in a trailer": to reside in a mobile home.
  • After retiring, they decided to live in a trailer and travel.
• "To drop a trailer": (in trucking) to unhitch a cargo trailer.
  • The driver dropped the trailer at the warehouse before heading back.

Variants and Related Words

• Trailer park (n): an area where many mobile homes are parked.
  • My grandparents used to live in a trailer park.
• Trailer hitch (n): a device on a vehicle for attaching a trailer.
  • We need to install a trailer hitch on the SUV.

Synonyms

• Vehicle sense: caravan (UK), camper, semi-trailer (for large freight).
• Film sense: preview, preview clip, coming attraction.
• Person sense: straggler, laggard, dawdler.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Trailer" is primarily a noun. Common verb phrases involve "trailer" as part of a compound or in specific contexts.) - Trailer off: To diminish or fade away slowly, like a sound or event. (This usage is rare and often linked to the verb "trail"). - The sound of the music trailed off into the distance.

Related Idioms

• "To watch the trailer": to see the preview of a movie.
  • I can't wait to watch the trailer for the sequel.
• "Hitched to a trailer": metaphorically, to be burdened by something slow or cumbersome.
  • The new regulations have hitched the industry to a trailer, slowing down innovation.

Noun

1. a wheeled vehicle that can be pulled by a car or truck and is equipped for occupancy
2. a large transport conveyance designed to be pulled by a truck or tractor
3. an advertisement consisting of short scenes from a motion picture that will appear in the near future
4. someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind