paper trail
37
4.0
- noun
- /ˈpeɪpər treɪl/
:
rastro documental
- The accountant found a clear paper trail that proved the business transactions were legitimate.
- leave a paper trail
So the the paper trail for this one is quite impressive.
- So the the paper trail for this one is quite impressive.
- You definitely want a paper trail when you're sending samples out for editorial use.
- But it is the law that was invented to allow the government to be able to build a case against the mafia who has no paper trail, no nothing.
- It is likely premeditated obstruction of justice with a paper trail, and special counsel Robert Mueller has a copy.
- We've fired someone, but we hadn't kept the great paper trail when we fired her.
- It's the, it's the, it's like the paper trail that that goes back to the chain of custody that goes back to Jesus.
Examples
-
Roy had done an extensive search, certain that Dan had left a paper trail, and he'd been right.
Fiction book (2002) -
And for some reason, this woman leaves no paper trail?
-
I followed the paper trail and it led me to you.
-
I want you to create a paper trail.
-
There must be a paper trail for the money.
Academic text (2007) -
I'd signed a contract, there was a paper trail.
-
We've been following a paper trail on this guy for months now.
-
Thus, authorities have an independent paper trail to follow, which electronic machines can't produce.
Academic text (2008) -
Administrators appreciate the paper trail that demonstrates how music teachers are assessing their students.
Academic text (2014) -
You definitely want a paper trail when you're sending samples out for editorial use.
Synonyms
∞
2.5
A paper or file that gives information about past events
∞
2.0
A paper or electronic file that gives official information
429
3.1
A written record of events or actions kept over time
87
4.3
Documents that show proof of a fact or claim
74
7.4
A set of papers about a person or subject for official use
23
1.9
Official documents that show who you are or give legal information
5
3.4
A document that keeps proof of facts or events
3
2.5
A formal paper that gives information or records facts
1
3.2
A paper that describes events so people can read about them later
How Traceable
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a series of written or printed documents that provide evidence' is directly derivable from combining 'papers' (written records) with 'trail' (a sequence or path)—i.e. a trail made of papers. This compositional image is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Paper trail comes from the image of a path of paper documents or receipts left like footprints. If you can follow the trail of those papers, you can see what someone did, so the phrase means 'a record of documents that shows what someone did'.