track
[noun]
Synonyms:
- path, course, line, orbit, pathway, road, trajectory, way
- trail, footmark, footprint, footstep, mark, path, spoor, trace, wake
- line, permanent way, rails
[verb]
Synonyms:
- follow, chase, hunt down, pursue, shadow, stalk, tail (informal), trace, trail

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Related Idioms: beaten path, be hot on the trail of
Related Words: impress, imprint, mark, print, sign, vestige, footpath, footway, walk, roadway, trackway, scent, slot, follow, dog, shadow, tail, chase, pursue, find, hunt (down), smell (out)

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English Thesaurus: field, stadium, ground, ballpark/park, court, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. track¹ S2 W2 /træk/ noun
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: trac]

1. PATH/ROAD [countable] a narrow path or road with a rough uneven surface, especially one made by people or animals frequently moving through the same place:
The road leading to the farm was little more than a dirt track.
The track led through dense forest.
a steep mountain track

2. MARKS ON GROUND tracks [plural] a line of marks left on the ground by a moving person, animal, or vehicle:
We followed the tyre tracks across a muddy field.
The tracks, which looked like a fox’s, led into the woods.

3. FOR RACING [countable] a circular course around which runners, cars etc race, which often has a specially prepared surface:
To run a mile, you have to run four circuits of the track. ⇒ dirt track(2)

4.
TRAIN [countable]
a) the two metal lines along which trains travel Synonym : railway line:
The track was damaged in several places.
b) American English the particular track that a train leaves from or arrives at:
The train for Boston is leaving from track 2.

5. be on the right/wrong track to think in a way that is likely to lead to a correct or incorrect result:
We’ve had the initial test results and it looks as though we’re on the right track.

6. keep/lose track of somebody/something to pay attention to someone or something, so that you know where they are or what is happening to them, or to fail to do this:
It’s difficult to keep track of all the new discoveries in genetics.
I just lost all track of time.

7. MUSIC/SONG [countable] one of the songs or pieces of music on a record, cassette, or CD:
There’s a great Miles Davis track on side two.

8. stop/halt (dead) in your tracks to suddenly stop, especially because something has frightened or surprised you

9. cover your tracks to be careful not to leave any signs that could let people know where you have been or what you have done because you want to keep it a secret, usually because it is illegal:
He tried to cover his tracks by burning all the documents.

10. SPORT [uncountable] American English
a) sport that involves running on a track:
The next year he didn’t run track or play football.
b) all the sports in an athletics competition such as running, jumping, or throwing the javelin:
a famous track star
She went out for track in the spring (=she joined the school’s track team).

11. be on track spoken to be likely to achieve the result you want:
We’re still on track for 10% growth.

12. get off the track spoken to begin to deal with a new subject rather than the main one which was being discussed:
Don’t get off the track, we’re looking at this year’s figures not last year’s.

13. be on the track of somebody/something to hunt or search for someone or something:
Police are on the track of the bank robbers.

14. make tracks spoken used to say you must leave a place:
It’s time we started making tracks.

15. DIRECTION [countable] the direction or line taken by something as it moves
track of
islands that lie in the track of North Atlantic storms

16. ON A VEHICLE [countable] a continuous metal band that goes over the wheels of a vehicle such as a bulldozer, allowing it to move over uneven ground
⇒ off the beaten track at beaten(1), ⇒ one-track mind, ⇒ be from the wrong side of the tracks at wrong¹(17)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. track² verb

1. SEARCH [transitive] to search for a person or animal by following the marks they leave behind them on the ground, their smell etc:
Police have been tracking the four criminals all over Central America.
track somebody to something
The dogs tracked the wolf to its lair.

2. DEVELOPMENT [transitive] to record or study the behaviour or development of someone or something over time:
The progress of each student is tracked by computer.

3. AIRCRAFT/SHIP [transitive] to follow the movements of an aircraft or ship by using radar:
a tracking station

4. CAMERA [intransitive + in/out] to move a film or television camera away from or towards a scene in order to follow the action that you are recording

5. SCHOOL [transitive] American English to put schoolchildren in groups according to their ability Synonym : stream British English

6. MARK [transitive] American English to leave behind a track of something such as mud or dirt when you walk:
Which of you boys tracked mud all over the kitchen floor?
track somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb
to find someone or something that is difficult to find by searching or looking for information in several different places:
I finally managed to track down the book you wanted in a shop near the station.
Detectives had tracked her down in California.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

track
noun
I. marks left behind by a car/a person/an animal
ADJ. deep | fresh | animal, boot, car, tyre The beach is criss-crossed with animal tracks.
VERB + TRACK leave, make Rabbits had left tracks in the snow.
cover (often figurative) He had been careless, and had done little to cover his tracks.
follow
PREP. on the ~ of (often figurative) She felt the excitement of a journalist on the track of a good story.
PHRASES freeze/halt/stop in your tracks (figurative), halt/stop sb/sth in their/its tracks (figurative) The disease was stopped in its tracks by immunization programmes.
make tracks (figurative) It's getting late?I'd better make tracks (= leave).

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

track
II. 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 a single track road with passing places
farm, forest/forestry, hillside, mountain, woodland | perimeter A few planes were parked on the perimeter track of the airfield.
VERB + TRACK follow
TRACK + VERB lead The track leads across a meadow.
fork When the track forks, take the left fork.
PREP. along/down/up a/the ~ Continue along the farm track for another hundred metres.
PHRASES off the beaten track (figurative) (= not in a place that most people go to), on the right/wrong track (figurative) The new manager successfully got the team back onto the right track.
on the wrong track (figurative) The police were on the wrong track when they treated the case as a revenge killing.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

track
III. 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 The competition features many top track and field athletes.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

track
IV. 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 Many branch lines were closed, and the tracks lifted.
TRACK + NOUN layout

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

track
V. direction/course that sb/sth takes
ADJ. fast, inside an inside track to the ear of government
parallel, twin a twin track approach to crime
career She decided to change her career track.
VERB + TRACK switch He switched tracks and went back to college.
PREP. along a/the ~ Film comedy developed along a similar track to film drama.
on (a/the) ~ A UN spokesman insisted that the implementation of the peace plan is back on track. The ship was on a southerly track.
~ for She seems to be on the fast track for promotion.
~ to The country is on the fast track to democracy.
PHRASES keep track of sth (= to know what is happening, where sth is, etc.) Keep track of all your payments by writing them down in a book.
lose track of sth (= to not know what is happening, where sth is, etc.) I was so absorbed in my work that I lost track of time.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

track
VI. one song/piece of music on a cassette/CD
ADJ. album | live | title | unreleased | dance, disco | backing | drum, guitar, rhythm, solo, vocal (see also soundtrack)
VERB + TRACK cut, lay down, record She had already cut a couple of tracks as lead singer with her own group.
play | listen to

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

field (also pitch British English) a large area of ground, usually covered with grass, where team sports are played:
A few kids were playing on the football field.
a hockey field
stadium a large sports field with seats all around it for people to watch team sports or track and field competitions:
The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was amazing.
a football stadium
ground British English a sports field and the seats and buildings around it, belonging to a particular football, rugby, or cricket team:
I met my friends inside the ground.
ballpark/park American English a stadium where baseball is played:
Busch Stadium is one of the newest ballparks in Major League.
court an area with lines painted on the ground, for tennis, badminton, basketball, or volleyball:
The hotel has four tennis courts and a volleyball court.
diamond the area in a baseball field that is within the shape formed by the four bases. The diamond can also be the whole field:
The pitcher stands in the middle of the diamond.
There’s a playground, a picnic area, and a baseball diamond.
track a circular path with lines on it, for running on:
In the relay, each runner runs once around the track.
gym a room with machines which you can use to do exercises:
He spends an hour in the gym every day.
pool/swimming pool a place where you can swim:
He jumped into the deep end of the pool.
I’ll meet you outside the swimming pool.
sports centre British English, sports center American English a building where you can play many types of indoor sports:
Why not do exercise classes at your local sports centre?
health club a small sports centre, where you pay to be a member:
How much does it cost to join a health club?

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

follow to walk, drive etc behind or after someone, for example in order to see where they are going:
The man had followed her home to find out where she lived.
Follow that car!
He hired a detective to follow her.
chase to quickly run or drive after someone or something in order to catch them when they are trying to escape:
Police chased the car along the motorway at speeds of up to 90 mph.
run after somebody/go after somebody to quickly follow someone or something in order to stop them or talk to them:
I ran after him to say sorry, but he’d already got on the bus.
stalk /stɔːk $ stɒːk/ to secretly follow an animal in order to kill it, or to secretly follow a person in order to attack them:
a tiger stalking its prey
He had a long history of stalking women in his neighbourhood.
pursue /pəˈsjuː $ pərˈsuː/ written to chase someone in a very determined way:
The ship was being pursued by enemy submarines.
give chase written to chase someone or something who is trying to escape from you:
One of the officers gave chase and arrested the man.
The calf ran away and the lion gave chase.
tail to secretly follow someone in order to watch what they do and where they go:
Apparently, the police had been tailing the terrorists for months.
track to follow and find a person or animal by looking at the marks they leave on the ground:
The bushmen were tracking antelope in the Kalahari desert.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

music the sounds made by musical instruments or people singing:
The music was really loud.
tune the main series of musical notes in a piece of music:
a folk song with a pretty tune
melody the main series of notes in a piece of music that has many notes being played at the same time, especially in classical music:
The soprano sang the melody.
harmony the chords or notes in a piece of music that support the melody:
the rich harmonies in the symphony
piece (also piece of music) an arrangement of musical notes – use this about music without words:
It’s a difficult piece to play.
composition formal a piece of music that someone has written:
This is one of his own compositions.
work a piece of music, especially classical music:
one of Mozart’s best-known works
track one of the songs or pieces of music on a CD:
the album’s title track
number a piece of popular music that forms part of a concert or show:
the show’s first number

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

road a hard surface for cars, buses etc to drive on:
They're planning to build a new road.
My address is 42, Station Road.
street a road in a town, with houses or shops on each side:
She lives on our street.
We walked along the streets of the old town.
Oxford Street is one of Europe's busiest shopping areas.
He was stopped by the police, driving the wrong way down a one-way street.
Turn left on Main Street (=the street in the middle of a town, where most of the shops are – used in American English).
These days the same shops are on every high street (=the street in the middle of a town, where most of the shops are – used in British English).
avenue a road in a town, often with trees on each side:
the busy avenue in front of the cathedral
He lived on Park Avenue.
boulevard a wide road in a city or town – used especially in street names in the US, France etc. In the UK, streets are usually called avenue rather than boulevard:
the world-famous Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.
lane a narrow road in the country:
a winding country lane
cul-de-sac a short street which is closed at one end:
The house is situated in a quiet cul-de-sac in North Oxford.
track especially British English, dirt road American English a narrow road in the country, usually without a hard surface:
The farm was down a bumpy track.
ring road British English a road that goes around a town:
The airport is on the ring road.
bypass British English a road that goes past a town, allowing traffic to avoid the centre:
The bypass would take heavy traffic out of the old city centre.
dual carriageway British English, divided highway American English a road with a barrier or strip of land in the middle that has lines of traffic travelling in each direction:
I waited until we were on the dual carriageway before I overtook him.
freeway/expressway American English a very wide road in a city or between cities, on which cars can travel very fast without stopping:
Take the Hollywood Freeway (101) south, exit at Vine Street and drive east on Franklin Avenue.
Over on the side of the expressway, he saw an enormous sedan, up against a stone wall.
motorway British English, highway American English a very wide road for travelling fast over long distances:
The speed limit on the motorway is 70 miles an hour.
the Pacific Coast Highway
interstate American English a road for fast traffic that goes between states:
The accident happened on Interstate 84, about 10 miles east of Hartford.
toll road a road that you pay to use:
The government is planning to introduce toll roads, in an effort to cut traffic congestion.
turnpike American English a large road for fast traffic that you pay to use:
He dropped her off at an entrance to the New Jersey Turnpike.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

song a short piece of music with words that you sing:
We sang songs around the campfire.
The song was written by John Lennon.
track one of the songs on a CD or record:
Track three is my favourite one.
number a song that forms part of a performance of several songs:
The show was brilliant, from the opening number to the end.
tune the notes in a song, without the words:
I recognize the tune, but I can’t remember what it’s called.
melody the main series of notes in a piece of music that has several parts which are played together:
The song has a simple melody and beautiful lyrics.
verse a set of sentences that make up one part of a song:
She sang the first verse of ‘Amazing Grace’.
chorus a set of sentences in a song that is repeated after each verse:
Most of the kids were able to join in the chorus.
national anthem the official song of a country, which is sung or played on public occasions:
Before the match, everyone stood up to sing the national anthem.
hymn /hɪm/ a religious song that is sung in a church:
What hymns did you choose for your wedding?
At funerals people often sing the hymn ‘Abide with Me’.
carol a traditional Christmas song:
We went around the houses, singing carols.
folk song a traditional song from a particular area:
an old Mexican folk song
ballad a long folk song which tells a story:
a traditional ballad about a man who is dreaming of his home in Ireland
lullaby a slow quiet song sung to children to make them go to sleep:
She sat by the child’s bed, softly singing a lullaby.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

station a place where trains or buses regularly stop:
The town has its own railway station.
Paddington Station in west London
the bus station
terminus the station or stop at the end of a railway or bus line:
We’ve arranged to meet her at the Victoria bus terminus.
the railway terminus in central Calcutta
track [usually plural] the metal lines along which trains travel. This is sometimes used in American English to say which part of a station a train will leave from:
The passenger train, traveling at 120 mph, careered off the tracks.
platform the raised place beside a railway track where you get on and off a train in a station – used especially to say which part of a station a train will leave from:
Trains for Oxford leave from Platform 2.
ticket office (also booking office British English) the place at a station where tickets are sold:
You can buy rail tickets online or at the ticket office.
departures board British English (also departure board American English) a board saying when and from which part of a station each train will leave:
The departures board said that the train was ten minutes late.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

track
træk
See: cover one's tracks , in one's tracks , inside track , jump the track , keep track , lose track , make tracks , off the beaten track , on the track of , the tracks

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲