trace of movement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "trace of movement" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a sign or indication that something has moved or been disturbed in a particular area. Example: "The detective found a faint trace of movement in the dust, suggesting someone had recently passed through the room."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The degree of paresis of the upper and lower limbs was scored with the usual clinical ordinal scale, where '0' stands for no trace of movement and '5' for normal movement.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

My focus is on the elements, of traces of movement".

Huffington Post

Lines are not meant to describe but simply to exist as traces of movements on the canvas.

Heritage Science

Tracing of movements was the whole of the process.

Vice

When the Earth shakes, inertia keeps the weight and pen stationary, while the rest of the instrument - including the rotating drum -moves with it, resulting in an ink trace of the movement on the chart.

The Guardian

"If I use art illegally, in the graffiti spirit, by giving all this energy inside the stone," Roti explains, "it can leave an eternal trace of this movement".

Huffington Post

A typical example of results for the trace of the movement and rotation of the 5'-nuclease domain is shown in Figure 6.

Plosone

It almost looks as if there was another body there next to her, which has been wiped away -- or is it just the trace of the movements of one same body?

The New York Times

Actually, the sedimentary unit records the trace of the movements as folding structures and the structures are left most evidently in the sedimentary unit on eHAZ (Fig. 9).

Earth, Planets and Space

A typical trace of eye movements during one presentation of an image is displayed in Figure 1 A (blue curve).

Cerebral Cortex

Yet, much like at Pompeii, the eruption's thick blanket of pyroclastic material covered and thereby preserved a Late Glacial landscape replete with burned woodlands [114, 115], traces of animal movement [116] as well as archaeological sites ranging from miniscule artefact clusters around single short-term campfires [117] to some of the richest locales known from this time [118].

Heritage Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "trace of movement" in scientific writing, ensure you clearly define what constitutes a "trace" in your specific context. Be precise about the methods used to detect and interpret these traces.

Common error

Avoid attributing significance to faint traces without sufficient evidence. Ensure that the observed "trace of movement" is not due to noise, experimental error, or other confounding factors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "trace of movement" functions primarily as a noun phrase. It identifies a small amount, indication, or record that suggests something has moved. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "trace of movement" is a grammatically sound and usable noun phrase that signifies evidence of past motion. According to Ludwig AI, its applications span across varied contexts, being particularly frequent in scientific and news-related discourse. While not exceedingly common, its usage is well-established, and it effectively communicates subtle indications of activity. When writing, it's advisable to be precise and be cautious against over-interpreting subtle traces, and choose alternative phrases like "vestige of motion" or "sign of activity" for a nuance variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

vestige of motion

Replaces "trace" with "vestige", suggesting a remnant or surviving evidence of movement.

sign of activity

Replaces "movement" with "activity", broadening the scope to any kind of action.

hint of motion

Substitutes "trace" with "hint", indicating a subtle or indirect suggestion of movement.

residue of motion

Emphasizes the remaining substance or effect left by the movement.

mark of displacement

Focuses on the change in position or location resulting from movement.

evidence of transit

Highlights the act of passing through or across an area.

indication of progression

Suggests forward or onward movement.

remnant of action

Broader term that includes any kind of action, not strictly movement.

echo of displacement

Implies a faint or indirect reminder of movement or being moved.

whisper of motion

Suggests an extremely subtle or barely perceptible sign of movement.

FAQs

How can I use "trace of movement" in a sentence?

You can use "trace of movement" to describe physical evidence, such as "The detective found a faint "trace of movement" in the dust", or to describe abstract changes, like "The artist's work showed a "trace of movement" towards abstraction".

What's a good alternative to "trace of movement"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include "sign of activity", "hint of motion", or "vestige of motion".

Is it more appropriate to say "trace of movement" or "traces of movement"?

The choice depends on whether you're referring to a single instance or multiple instances. Use "trace of movement" for a singular indication and "traces of movement" for multiple or varied indications.

In what contexts is "trace of movement" commonly used?

The phrase is used across various contexts including scientific analysis of physical phenomena, artistic interpretations, and crime scene investigations. The use depends on the specific kind of signal or remnant left after a "movement".