track

UK /tɹæk/ US /tɹæk/

noun 5verb 5

Definitions

noun

A mark left by something that has passed along.

Follow the track of the ship.

Can you see any tracks in the snow?

A mark or impression left by the foot, either of man or animal.

The fox tracks were still visible in the snow.

The entire lower surface of the foot; said of birds, etc.

A road or other similar beaten path.

Follow the track for a hundred metres.

Physical course; way.

Astronomers predicted the track of the comet.

verb

To continue over time.

We will track the raven population over the next six months.

To continue over time.

Agent Miles has been tracking the terrorist since Madrid.

Vlad says there is an American drone the Russians can't track. He wants a lot more of those.

To continue over time.

My height tracks my father's at my age, so I might end up as tall as him.

To continue over time.

The camera tracked the ball even as the field of play moved back and forth, keeping the action in shot the entire time.

To continue over time.

The hurricane tracked further west than expected.

Collocations

(noun.) marks left behind by a car/a person/an animal

ADJ

deep

fresh

animal, boot, car, tyre

We found muddy boot tracks leading from the kitchen to the back door.

VERB + TRACK

leave, make

The muddy footprints made tracks across the clean kitchen floor.

cover

After the thief escaped, the police worked hard to cover her tracks before she left the city.

PREP

on the ~ of

The detective was on the track of the suspect who had disappeared three days ago.

PHRASES

freeze/halt/stop in your tracks

When she heard the loud crash, she froze in her tracks and listened carefully.

halt/stop sb/sth in their/its tracks

The new safety measures halted the factory's pollution problems in their tracks.

make tracks

We need to make tracks soon if we want to catch the last bus home.

(noun.) path/rough road

ADJ

narrow

wide

steep

bumpy, dusty, grassy, muddy, rough, rutted, sandy, slippery, stony

ancient, medieval

cinder, dirt, mud, unpaved

cart, cycle, sheep, ski

single

The train stopped because a fallen tree was blocking the single track ahead.

farm, forest/forestry, hillside, mountain, woodland

perimeter

Security guards walked along the perimeter track to check the factory fence.

VERB + TRACK

TRACK + VERB

lead

The hiking trail leads directly to a beautiful waterfall in the forest.

fork

The hiking path splits where the track forks near the old bridge.

PREP

along/down/up a/the ~

We walked up the mountain track until we reached the viewpoint at the top.

PHRASES

off the beaten track

We discovered a charming village off the beaten track during our hiking holiday last summer.

on the right/wrong track

Her grades improved after she started studying regularly and got back on the right track.

on the wrong track

If you think the problem is caused by poor diet, you might be on the wrong track.

(noun.) special path, often in a circle, for racing

ADJ

race (also racetrack), running

indoor, outdoor

all-weather

training, warm-up

fast

dog

PHRASES

track and field

Sarah joined the track and field team at her school last year and now competes in sprinting events.

(noun.) metal rails on which a train runs

ADJ

rail, railway, tram

double, single

elevated

eastbound, westbound, etc.

narrow gauge, standard gauge

VERB + TRACK

lay

lift

The old railway line was abandoned, so workers came to lift the track.

TRACK + NOUN

layout

(noun.) direction/course that sb/sth takes

ADJ

fast, inside

She had an inside track at the company because her uncle worked there.

parallel, twin

The government is developing a parallel track strategy to address both education and employment issues.

career

He has been on a successful career track since graduating from university ten years ago.

VERB + TRACK

switch

After years of working in finance, she switched tracks to become a teacher instead.

PREP

along a/the ~

The company's growth has progressed along a different track than its competitors.

on (a/the) ~

After weeks of delays, the construction project is finally back on track.

~ for

He's working hard because there's real competition for a spot on the management track.

~ to

She's on the right track to becoming a professional musician after years of practice.

PHRASES

keep track of sth

lose track of sth

(noun.) one song/piece of music on a cassette/CD

ADJ

album

live

title

unreleased

dance, disco

backing

drum, guitar, rhythm, solo, vocal

soundtrack)

VERB + TRACK

cut, lay down, record

The band will record three new tracks for their upcoming album next month.

play

listen to

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — the act of participating in an athletic competition involvin

running

noun — a course over which races are run

racetrack
racecourse
raceway

noun — any road or path affording passage especially a rough one

cartroad

noun — a bar or pair of parallel bars of rolled steel making the ra

rail
rails
runway

noun — evidence pointing to a possible solution

noun — a distinct selection of music from a recording or a compact

noun — a line or route along which something travels or moves

verb — travel across or pass over

verb — go after with the intent to catch

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

track down

To hunt for or locate; to search for; to find.

I need to track down a computer so I can check my e-mails.

track record

The past performance of a person, organization, or product, viewed in its entirety and usually for the purpose of making a judgment.

"Ideally, for this job, you want someone with a track record of commitment to civil rights, especially to racial justice, and he just doesn't have that."

off the beaten track

In or to a place or places not commonly visited.

From Nikko northwards my route was altogether off the beaten track, and had never been traversed in its entirety by any European. I lived among the Japanese, and saw their mode of

on track

Proceeding as planned, as expected, or in a manner consistent with an established pattern.

Before 1914 the Russian economy was on track to outperform that of France and Britain within a decade.

down the track

Further along, in terms of time or progress.

I would like to support your proposal, but I can't guarantee how I'll feel down the track.

Example Bank

Follow the track of the ship.

Wiktionary

Can you see any tracks in the snow?

Wiktionary

The fox tracks were still visible in the snow.

Wiktionary

We will track the raven population over the next six months.

Wiktionary

Agent Miles has been tracking the terrorist since Madrid.

Wiktionary

Vlad says there is an American drone the Russians can't track. He wants a lot more of those.

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

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