A trademark tells where something came from. Trademarks distinguish sources of goods. When you go to a supermarket, you are surrounded by trademarks. Let's say you're looking for your favorite crackers, Triscuit®, made by Nabisco. Only Nabisco can make crackers called Triscuit®. (The "R" with the circle around it means "registered trademark.") You may find some other crackers that look a lot like Triscuit®, but the company that makes them will have to call their crackers something else, "woven wheat crackers," for instance. Imitators often try to make their trademarks look a lot like the competition's. Trademark holders have legal recourse against competitors who cross the line into what is termed "confusingly similar" territory.