track

track ► NOUN 1) a rough path or minor road. 2) a prepared course or circuit for racing. 3) a mark or line of marks left by a person, animal, or vehicle in passing. 4) a continuous line of rails on a railway. 5) a section of a record, compact disc, or cassette tape containing one song or piece of music. [ORIGIN: originally referring to a groove on a gramophone record.] 6) a strip or rail along which something (e.g. a curtain) may be moved. 7) a continuous articulated metal band around the wheels of a heavy vehicle. 8) the transverse distance between a vehicle's wheels.

► VERB 1) follow the course or movements of. 2) (track down) find after a thorough or difficult search. 3) follow a particular course. 4) (of a film or television camera) move in relation to the subject being filmed. [ORIGIN: with reference to early filming when a camera was moved along a track.]

● keep (or lose) track of — Cf. ↑lose track of

● make tracks (for) — Cf. ↑make tracks for

● on the right (or wrong) track — Cf. ↑on the wrong track

● stop (or be stopped) in one's tracks — Cf. ↑stop in one's tracks

● the wrong side of the tracks — Cf. ↑the wrong side of the tracks

DERIVATIVES trackless adjective.

ORIGIN Old French trac, perhaps from Low German or Dutch trek 'draught, drawing' .