Trace vs. Chase: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on February 24, 2024
Trace involves following or mapping out a path or outline, often carefully and precisely. Chase implies pursuing or seeking to catch up with someone or something, usually with urgency or desire.
Key Differences
Tracing is a methodical process that involves following, outlining, or copying something with accuracy and attention to detail. It's often used in contexts like art, where one might trace an image to replicate it, or in investigations, where paths or connections are carefully followed to gather information. Chasing, on the other hand, is dynamic and involves actively pursuing something or someone. It carries a sense of immediacy and often involves movement or action to catch or reach the target, as seen in sports or law enforcement scenarios.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
The act of tracing can be seen as a careful and deliberate process, requiring patience and precision, whether it's tracing a drawing or tracing the origins of an object. Chase is characterized by speed and the desire to quickly reduce the distance between the pursuer and the pursued, whether it's chasing a dream, a criminal, or in competitive sports.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Tracing might not involve physical movement, focusing instead on following lines, patterns, or evidence, chasing always involves some form of physical or metaphorical movement towards a goal or target. This difference highlights the contrast between the contemplative nature of tracing and the active, sometimes aggressive nature of chasing.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
In tracing, the goal is often to understand, replicate, or uncover something by carefully following its form or path. In chasing, the objective is to catch, capture, or achieve something, driven by a desire or need that propels the individual forward.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Despite their differences, both tracing and chasing can be driven by a desire to attain knowledge, possession, or proximity to something. However, the methods and motivations behind each action distinctly set them apart, with tracing emphasizing precision and understanding, and chasing focusing on attainment and conquest.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
Following or outlining with precision.
Pursuing with the intent to catch.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Examples
Tracing a picture, tracing ancestry.
Chasing a suspect, chasing a dream.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
Trace and Chase Definitions
Trace
Trace a design onto paper to replicate its pattern.
She traced the intricate design onto her canvas before painting.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Chase
Chase a ball in a game of soccer to gain possession.
The midfielder chased the ball to keep it from the opposing team.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Trace
Trace the path of a river on a map for study.
The students traced the river's path to understand its impact on the ecosystem.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Chase
Chase deadlines in a high-pressure environment.
We're chasing a tight deadline for the project's completion.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Trace
Trace the origins of a family through genealogy.
He traced his family's origins back to the 18th century.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
Chase
Chase the horizon on a long-distance journey.
They chased the horizon on their cross-country road trip.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Trace
Trace electrical circuits to diagnose problems.
The technician traced the circuit to find the fault.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Chase
Chase a suspect in a police pursuit.
The officers chased the suspect through the crowded streets.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Trace
Trace evidence in an investigation to find clues.
Detectives traced fingerprints at the crime scene.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Chase
Chase a dream or goal with determination.
She chased her dream of becoming a doctor.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Trace
A visible mark, such as a footprint, made or left by the passage of a person, animal, or thing.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To follow rapidly in order to catch or overtake; pursue
The police officers chased the thief. The dog chased the cat across the yard.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
Evidence or an indication of the former presence or existence of something; a vestige
Left without a trace of having been there.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
An extremely small amount or barely perceivable indication
Spoke with a trace of sarcasm.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To seek the favor or company of persistently
Chased me until I agreed to a date.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
A path or trail that has been beaten out by the passage of animals or people.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
An act of researching or ascertaining the origin or location of something
Put a trace on the phone call.
Asked for a trace on a lost package.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To cause (an opposing pitcher) to be removed from a game by batting well.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To go or follow in pursuit
My friends and I chased after the loose dog.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
The point at which a line, or the curve in which a surface, intersects a coordinate plane.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
One of two side straps or chains connecting a harnessed draft animal to a vehicle or whiffletree.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
A bar or rod, hinged at either end to another part, that transfers movement from one part of a machine to another.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To go along or follow (a path, for example)
We traced the trail up the mountain.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
The act of chasing; pursuit
The police arrested the driver after a wild chase.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To ascertain the successive stages in the development or progress of
Tracing the life cycle of an insect.
Trace the history of a family.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
Something that is hunted or pursued; quarry
The hunters drove their chase into the open.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To discover or determine by searching or researching evidence
Trace the cause of a disease.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To locate or ascertain the origin of
Traced the money to a foreign bank account.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
A rectangular steel or iron frame into which pages or columns of type are locked for printing or plate making.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To copy by following lines seen through a sheet of transparent paper.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
A groove cut in an object; a slot
The chase for the quarrel on a crossbow.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To follow closely (a prescribed pattern)
The skater traced a figure eight.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To have origins; be traceable
Linguistic features that trace to West Africa.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
An act of tracing.
Your cell phone company can put a trace on your line.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
A residue of some substance or material.
There are traces of chocolate around your lips.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
A very small amount.
All of our chocolates may contain traces of nuts.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
(real tennis) The occurrence of a second bounce by the ball in certain areas of the court, giving the server the chance, later in the game, to "play off" the chase from the receiving end and possibly win the point.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
(real tennis) A division of the floor of a gallery, marked by a figure or otherwise; the spot where a ball falls, and between which and the dedans the adversary must drive the ball in order to gain a point.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
One of two straps, chains, or ropes of a harness, extending from the collar or breastplate to a whippletree attached to a vehicle or thing to be drawn; a tug.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
(cycling) One or more riders who are ahead of the peloton and trying to join the race or stage leaders.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
(music) A series of brief improvised jazz solos by a number of musicians taking turns.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
(grammar) An empty category occupying a position in the syntactic structure from which something has been moved, used to explain constructions such as wh-movement and the passive.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
(printing) A rectangular steel or iron frame into which pages or columns of type are locked for printing or plate-making.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
A groove cut in an object; a slot: the chase for the quarrel on a crossbow.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
(architecture) A trench or channel or other encasement structure for encasing (archaically spelled enchasing) drainpipes or wiring; a hollow space in the wall of a building encasing ventilation ducts, chimney flues, wires, cables or plumbing.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
(transitive) To draw or sketch lightly or with care.
He carefully traced the outlines of the old building before him.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
(transitive) To copy onto a sheet of paper superimposed over the original, by drawing over its lines.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
(transitive) To seek to attain.
The team are chasing their first home win this season.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To follow the execution of the program by making it to stop after every instruction, or by making it print a message after every step.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
(transitive) To consume another beverage immediately after drinking hard liquor, typically something better tasting or less harsh such as soda or beer; to use a drink as a chaser.
I need something to chase this shot with.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
One of two straps, chains, or ropes of a harness, extending from the collar or breastplate to a whiffletree attached to a vehicle or thing to be drawn; a tug.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To attempt to win by scoring the required number of runs in the final innings.
Australia will be chasing 217 for victory on the final day.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
A connecting bar or rod, pivoted at each end to the end of another piece, for transmitting motion, esp. from one plane to another; specif., such a piece in an organ-stop action to transmit motion from the trundle to the lever actuating the stop slider.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To swing at a pitch outside of the strike zone, typically an outside pitch.
Jones chases one out of the zone for strike two.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
A mark left by anything passing; a track; a path; a course; a footprint; a vestige; as, the trace of a carriage or sled; the trace of a deer; a sinuous trace.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To produce enough offense to cause the pitcher to be removed.
The rally chased the starter.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
A very small quantity of an element or compound in a given substance, especially when so small that the amount is not quantitatively determined in an analysis; - hence, in stating an analysis, often contracted to tr.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
The intersection of a plane of projection, or an original plane, with a coordinate plane.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
(transitive) To place piping or wiring in a groove encased within a wall or floor, or in a hidden space encased by a wall.
Chase the pipe
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To mark out; to draw or delineate with marks; especially, to copy, as a drawing or engraving, by following the lines and marking them on a sheet superimposed, through which they appear; as, to trace a figure or an outline; a traced drawing.
Some faintly traced features or outline of the mother and the child, slowly lading into the twilight of the woods.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To follow by some mark that has been left by a person or thing which has preceded; to follow by footsteps, tracks, or tokens.
You may trace the deluge quite round the globe.
I feel thy power . . . to trace the waysOf highest agents.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To pursue for the purpose of killing or taking, as an enemy, or game; to hunt.
We are those which chased you from the field.
Philologists, who chaseA panting syllable through time and place.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
Hence, to follow the trace or track of.
How all the way the prince on footpace traced.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To follow as if to catch; to pursue; to compel to move on; to drive by following; to cause to fly; - often with away or off; as, to chase the hens away.
Chased by their brother's endless malice from prince to prince and from place to place.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To copy; to imitate.
That servile path thou nobly dost decline,Of tracing word, and line by line.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To pursue eagerly, as hunters pursue game.
Chasing each other merrily.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To walk over; to pass through; to traverse.
We do tracethis alley up and down.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
To ornament (a surface of metal) by embossing, cutting away parts, and the like.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
An indication that something has been present;
There wasn't a trace of evidence for the claim
A tincture of condescension
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
Vehement pursuit for the purpose of killing or capturing, as of an enemy, or game; an earnest seeking after any object greatly desired; the act or habit of hunting; a hunt.
You see this chase is hotly followed.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
A suggestion of some quality;
There was a touch of sarcasm in his tone
He detected a ghost of a smile on her face
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
An open hunting ground to which game resorts, and which is private properly, thus differing from a forest, which is not private property, and from a park, which is inclosed. Sometimes written chace.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
A division of the floor of a gallery, marked by a figure or otherwise; the spot where a ball falls, and between which and the dedans the adversary must drive his ball in order to gain a point.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
Either of two lines that connect a horse's harness to a wagon or other vehicle or to a whiffletree
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
A rectangular iron frame in which pages or columns of type are imposed.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
A visible mark (as a footprint) left by the passage of person or animal or vehicle
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
The part of a cannon from the reënforce or the trunnions to the swell of the muzzle. See Cannon.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
Follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something;
We must follow closely the economic development is Cuba
Trace the student's progress
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
A groove, or channel, as in the face of a wall; a trench, as for the reception of drain tile.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
Make a mark or lines on a surface;
Draw a line
Trace the outline of a figure in the sand
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
A kind of joint by which an overlap joint is changed to a flush joint, by means of a gradually deepening rabbet, as at the ends of clinker-built boats.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
To go back over again;
We retraced the route we took last summer
Trace your path
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
The act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture;
The culprit started to run and the cop took off in pursuit
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
Pursue or chase relentlessly;
The hunters traced the deer into the woods
The detectives hounded the suspect until they found the him
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Chase
Go after with the intent to catch;
The policeman chased the mugger down the alley
The dog chased the rabbit
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
Make one's course or travel along a path; travel or pass over, around, or along;
The children traced along the edge of the drak forest
The women traced the pasture
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
Copy by following the lines of the original drawing on a transparent sheet placed upon it; make a tracing of;
Trace a design
Trace a pattern
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Trace
Read with difficulty;
Can you decipher this letter?
The archeologist traced the hieroglyphs
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is chasing always physical?
While chasing often involves physical movement, it can also refer to metaphorically pursuing goals, dreams, or deadlines.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Can tracing involve physical movement?
Tracing typically involves minimal physical movement, focusing more on following or outlining rather than physical pursuit.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
How do trace and chase differ in their objectives?
Tracing aims for understanding or replication by following details closely, while chasing aims for attainment or capture, often driven by urgency.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
What does it mean to chase something?
Chasing something means to pursue it actively with the intention of catching or reaching it.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Can tracing and chasing be combined in any activity?
In some contexts, such as investigations, tracing evidence can lead to chasing suspects, combining both methods towards a common goal.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
How do trace and chase differ in art?
In art, tracing involves copying or outlining designs with precision, while chasing could metaphorically refer to pursuing artistic goals or visions.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Can animals trace or chase?
Animals primarily engage in chasing, whether hunting prey or playing, but some animals use tracing-like behaviors to follow trails or scents.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Is one more aggressive than the other?
Chasing is typically more aggressive, characterized by urgency and the desire to quickly attain or capture.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Which requires more patience, tracing or chasing?
Tracing requires more patience, focusing on detail and accuracy, whereas chasing demands speed and immediate action.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Why is chasing important in law enforcement?
Chasing is crucial in law enforcement for apprehending suspects and preventing crime, requiring quick reflexes and strategic planning.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
What does it mean to trace something?
Tracing something means to follow, outline, or replicate it with attention to detail and accuracy.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Can technology enhance tracing or chasing?
Technology can enhance both, with tracing benefiting from digital tools for precision and chasing from advancements in tracking and mobility.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Is tracing considered a skill?
Yes, tracing is considered a skill that requires a steady hand and attention to detail.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
How does motivation differ between tracing and chasing?
Motivation in tracing is driven by the desire to accurately follow or replicate, while in chasing, it's driven by the goal of capture or achievement.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Is chasing always goal-oriented?
Yes, chasing is inherently goal-oriented, focusing on reaching, capturing, or achieving a specific outcome.
Shumaila Saeed
Feb 24, 2024
Share this page
Link for your blog / website
HTML
Link to share via messenger
About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
Hifza Nasir
Shumaila Saeed
