track

1 noun

1 ROAD (C) a narrow road with a rough uneven surface that cars can travel on: The road leading to the farm was little more than a rough track. | a deeply-rutted cart track

2 PATH (C) a narrow path, especially one made by people or animals frequently walking in the same place: a mountain track | The track led through dense forest.

3 FOR RACING (C) a circular course around which runners, cars etc race, often with a specially prepared surface: To run a mile, you have to run four circuits of the track.

—see also: dirt track

4 RAILWAY (C) the two metal lines along which trains travel or the narrow strip of land to which they are fixed; railway line: The track was damaged in several places.

5 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.

6 be on the right/wrong track to think in a way that is likely to lead to a correct or incorrect result: He's not interested in her at all - you're on the wrong track there.

7 MUSIC/SONG (C) 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 keep/lose track of 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.

9 stop (dead) in your tracks to suddenly stop, especially because something has frightened or surprised you: Fay stopped in her tracks and pointed at the house.

10 cover/hide 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: We don't know where Ford is, he's been very clever in covering his tracks.

11 be on the track of to hunt or search for someone or something: Police are on the track of a gang that has robbed five post offices in the last month.

12 SPORT (U) AmE

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)

13 I'd better make tracks spoken used to say you must leave a place, especially when you do not want to leave: I'd love to stay, but it's time we started making tracks.

14 DIRECTION (C) the direction or line taken by something as it moves

(+ of): islands that lie in the track of North Atlantic storms

15 ON A VEHICLE (C) an endless metal band driven by the wheels of a vehicle such as a bulldozer that allows it to move over uneven ground

16 FOR RECORDING (C) a band on a tape 1 (1) on which music or information can be recorded: Sergeant Pepper was recorded on eight tracks.

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

18 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.

—see also: off the beaten track beaten (3), one­track mind, be from the wrong side of the tracks wrong 1 (14) 2 verb

1 SEARCH (T) to search for a person or animal by following the marks they leave behind them on the ground, their smell etc: track sb to sth: The dogs tracked the wolf to its lair.

2 AIRCRAFT/SHIP (T) to follow the movements of an aircraft or ship by using radar: a tracking station

3 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

4 RECORD (I) if a pick­up (4) tracks, it moves in the grooves groove 1 (1) on a record

5 SCHOOL (T) AmE to put school children in groups according to their ability; stream 1 (6) BrE

6 MARK (T) AmE 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?

— tracker noun (C): a police tracker dog track sb/sth down phrasal verb (T) to find someone or something that is difficult to find by searching or making inquiries in several different places: I finally managed to track down the book you wanted in a shop near the station.