trail off

trail off

To dwindle, diminish, or fade away; to become fainter or weaker. Used especially, though not exclusively, in reference to speech or music. He started talking about the tax code, but trailed off when he realized no one was listening. The music from the radio trailed off as the car got farther from the house. The company's innovative ideas gave birth to a huge range of devices, but seem to have started trailing off in recent years.

See also: off, trail

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

trail off

 and trail away

to fade away, as with speech, words, singing, etc. Her voice trailed off as she saw who was waiting at the door. Ken's words trailed away as he passed out.

See also: off, trail

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

trail off

v.

To become gradually fainter; dwindle: The writer's prolific output trailed off as the years went by.

See also: off, trail

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.