track

Pronunciation

• enPR: trăk, IPA ^(key): /træk/
• SAMPA: /tr{k/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular track

Plural tracks

1. (countable) A track is a line on the ground or in space that people, animals or vehicles follow.

   It's right where Hardy Road crosses the railroad tracks.

   He was far enough off the beaten track that nobody was liable to find him there.

   There was an indoor track where he ran daily to stay healthy.

   It was called the Camiri Highway, but it was not much more than a two-lane dirt track.

   Three people were killed and hundreds injured when a train jumped the tracks this morning.

   I raced on a 250-meter track in Call and won.

   The official track, shows this storm moving west.

2. (countable) (music) A track is a single part of an audio recording that can be separated from other parts of a recording.

   You can make digital copies of the CD tracks and save them in MP3 format.

   Each instrument is recorded onto a different audio track.

   The song is the opening track on the new album.

3. (countable) A track is a mark left on the ground by somebody or something walking or driving.

   Phillip glanced at the policemen measuring and marking the tire tracks.

   There were no car tracks, ski tracks--even deer tracks--anywhere near the house.

4. (uncountable) If you keep track of something, you follow it or always know where it is or what's happening with it.

   I use a watch in order to keep track of how long I've been studying.

   I'm sure Father simply lost track of the time.

5. (uncountable) (sports) Track is the sport of running and jumping on a track.

   No new records were set in the most recent track and field championships.

   He ran like an Olympic track star.

6. (countable) If you're on track to do something, you are taking the right steps to prepare and should be able to do it in the future.

   Making a study plan is a good way to keep on track with your homework.

7. (countable) If you're on the fast track, you are moving ahead quickly in your job.
8. (countable) A track is a long, flat circular band that goes over wheels to help a vehicle move in snow, on sand, etc.

Synonyms

• way
• road
• path
• trail

Related words

• trackless
• track and field

• 
  Tracks in the sand
• 
  Tracks in the snow
• 
  A track through the forest
• 
  Train tracks
• 
  A running track
• 
  A race track
• 
  An orange vehicle that runs on four tracks
• 
  A 16-track tape recorder
• 
  A track for a sliding door
• 
  The track of a storm

Verb

Plain form track

Third-person singular tracks

Past tense tracked

Past participle tracked

Present participle tracking

1. (transitive & intransitive) If you track something down, you find it after looking for it.

   He was trying to track down where she lived.

2. (transitive & intransitive) If you track something, you follow it, to see where it's going or how it's changing.

   I also started weighing myself weekly to track my progress.

   Animal movements are tracked these days not on foot but by air.

3. (transitive & intransitive) If you track mud, water, or some other substance somewhere, you walk and leave it there.

   The kids tracked mud all over my clean floors.

Synonyms

• follow
• pursue
• trace

Related words

• tracker