Definition

1. Noun:

   • A mark or series of marks left by a moving person, animal, or vehicle: A visible sign of passage, such as footprints or tire marks.
   • A prepared course or circuit for racing: A defined path, often oval, for running, car, or bicycle races.
   • A pair of parallel steel rails forming a railway line: The fixed path on which trains run.
   • A continuous band of metal plates used on vehicles like tanks: The belt that moves around wheels to propel and steer certain vehicles.
   • A distinct piece of music on a recording: A single song or piece of music on an album, CD, or digital playlist.
   • A path or rough road: A route or trail, often unpaved, for walking or traveling.
   • A course or line along which something moves: The path followed by a moving object, animal, or natural phenomenon.
   • A data storage path on a magnetic disk: One of the concentric circular bands on a computer disk or old phonograph record where information is recorded.

2. Verb:

   • To follow the marks, signs, or path left by a moving person, animal, or object: To pursue by using evidence of their passage.
   • To pass over or travel along a surface: To traverse a path or area.
   • To observe and record the course or movement of something: To monitor the path of a moving object like a missile or storm.
   • To carry and deposit dirt or marks with the feet: To leave dirty footprints on a clean surface.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • We followed the animal's track through the snow. (We followed the animal's footprints/path through the snow.)
  • The new sports stadium has a running track. (The new sports stadium has a prepared circuit for running.)
  • The train was delayed because of repairs to the track. (The train was delayed because of repairs to the railway line.)
  • My favorite track on the album is the third one. (My favorite song on the album is the third one.)

• Verb:

  • The hunters tracked the deer for miles. (The hunters followed the deer's trail for miles.)
  • The storm is expected to track northward along the coast. (The storm is expected to move northward along the coast.)
  • Scientists track the migration of birds using satellites. (Scientists monitor the migration path of birds using satellites.)
  • Please take off your boots so you don't track mud into the kitchen. (Please take off your boots so you don't bring mud into the kitchen on your feet.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be on the right track": To be following a correct course of action or thinking.

  • Your research is on the right track; keep going. (Your research is proceeding correctly; keep going.)

• "to keep track of": To maintain awareness or a record of something or someone.

  • It's hard to keep track of all the new regulations. (It's hard to stay informed about all the new regulations.)

• "to lose track of": To fail to maintain awareness or a record; to lose contact with.

  • I've completely lost track of time. (I've become completely unaware of what time it is.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tracker (n): A person or device that follows tracks or monitors something.

  • The tracker followed the footprints into the forest.

• Tracking (n): The action of following or monitoring.

  • The tracking data shows the package is in transit.

• Trackless (adj): Having no tracks or paths; untraveled.

  • They ventured into the trackless wilderness.

Synonyms

• Noun: Trail, path, course, route, rail, footprint, trace, song, cut.
• Verb: Follow, trail, pursue, monitor, trace.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Track down: To find someone or something after a prolonged or difficult search.

  • The detective finally tracked down the witness. (The detective finally found the witness after searching.)

• Track up: To make a surface dirty with footprints or marks (similar to the verb sense).

  • The kids tracked up the clean floor. (The kids made the clean floor dirty with their feet.)

Related Idioms

• Make tracks: To leave or depart quickly.

  • It's getting late; we should make tracks. (It's getting late; we should leave quickly.)

• Cover one's tracks: To conceal evidence of one's activities or whereabouts.

  • He tried to cover his tracks by deleting the computer files. (He tried to hide his actions by deleting the computer files.)

• Off the beaten track: In a remote or little-visited place.

  • The cabin is off the beaten track, far from any town. (The cabin is in a remote location, far from any town.)

Noun

1. the act of participating in an athletic competition involving running on a track
2. any road or path affording passage especially a rough one
3. a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the railway along which railroad cars or other vehicles can roll
4. a groove on a phonograph recording
5. (computer science) one of the circular magnetic paths on a magnetic disk that serve as a guide for writing and reading data
6. an endless metal belt on which tracked vehicles move over the ground
7. a distinct selection of music from a recording or a compact disc
   • he played the first cut on the cd
   • the title track of the album
8. a course over which races are run
9. a pair of parallel rails providing a runway for wheels
10. evidence pointing to a possible solution
    • the police are following a promising lead
    • the trail led straight to the perpetrator
11. a line or route along which something travels or moves
    • the hurricane demolished houses in its path
    • the track of an animal
    • the course of the river

Verb

1. make tracks upon
2. travel across or pass over
   • The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day
3. go after with the intent to catch
   • The policeman chased the mugger down the alley
   • the dog chased the rabbit
4. observe or plot the moving path of something
   • track a missile
5. carry on the feet and deposit
   • track mud into the house