trailing

Etymology

adj

1. (rail transport, of points and crossovers) That converges in the direction of travel.
2. That is attached and pulled behind.
   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. 1961 February, “New English Electric diesels for East Africa”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 90–91
   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. November 16 2022, Paul Bigland, “From rural branches to high-speed arteries”, in RAIL, number 970, page 55

verb

1. present participle and gerund of trail

noun

1. Fabric or other material that trails.
   […] 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 […] 1901, Mary E. Wilkins, The Portion of Labor
   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. 2010, Regina S. Baraban, Joseph F. Durocher, Successful Restaurant Design