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REFERENCE

trailer

n. · v.
US //ˈtɹeɪɫɝ// UK //tɹˈeɪlɐ// trail·er
  1. 1 towed vehicle (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a vehicle without an engine that is pulled by a car or truck to carry things.

    an unpowered vehicle designed to be towed by another, typically used for transporting goods, equipment, or livestock.

    Example

    We loaded the camping gear into the trailer and hooked it to the back of the car.

    Example

    The contractor attached a flatbed trailer to his truck to transport the heavy timber to the construction site before the rain started.
  2. 2 film preview (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a short video that shows parts of a new movie or game to make people want to see it.

    a series of excerpts from a film or television programme used for promotional purposes.

    Example

    The trailer for the new superhero movie looks much better than the actual film.

    Example

    The studio released a cryptic teaser trailer six months before the premiere to generate online discussion among the fan base.
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  1. 3 mobile home (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English

    a small house on wheels that can be moved or parked in one place to live in.

    a prefabricated dwelling structure that can be moved by towing, often situated in a dedicated park.

    Example

    They lived in a small trailer near the beach during the summer months.

    Example

    The family decided to downsize and move into a modern trailer park, citing lower maintenance costs and a closer community feel.
  2. 4 computing data (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    the last part of a piece of digital information that shows where it ends.

    the concluding part of a data packet or file, often containing error-checking sequences or end-of-record markers.

    Example

    The computer checks the trailer of the data packet to make sure no information was lost.

    Example

    If the checksum in the trailer does not match the calculated value, the system requests a retransmission of the entire data frame.

    Usage

    Often contrasted with the 'header' which appears at the start of the data.
  3. 5 to transport (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to move something using a trailer.

    to transport a vehicle or heavy equipment by loading it onto a trailer.

    Example

    They had to trailer the broken boat back to the repair shop.

    Example

    Because the race car was not street-legal, the team had to trailer it to every circuit on the national tour.
Origin

From trail + -er. The film sense derives from the fact that previews were formerly shown after the main feature, rather than before as is usual today, that is trailing after the main feature.

Idioms2 entries

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