track

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   carry on the feet and deposit

   track mud into the house

2. 2
   verb

   observe or plot the moving path of something

   track a missile

3. 3
   noun

   A mark left by something that has passed along.

   Follow the track of the ship.

4. 4
   noun

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

   The fox tracks were still visible in the snow.

5. 5
   noun

   A road or other similar beaten path.

   Follow the track for a hundred metres.

6. 6
   noun

   Physical course; way.

   Astronomers predicted the track of the comet.

7. 7
   noun

   A path or course laid out for a race, for exercise, etc.

   The athletes ran round the track.

8. 8
   noun

   The direction and progress of someone or something; path.

   You cannot simply “get” your child back on track; you and others can only help your child with that task.

Etymology

From Middle English trak, tracke, from Old French trac (“track of horses, trail, trace”), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic source, either Old Norse traðk ("a track; path; trodden spot"; > Icelandic traðk (“a track; path; tread”), Faroese traðk (“track; tracks”), Norwegian tråkke (“to trample”)) or from Middle Dutch trec, *trac, treck ("line, row, series"; > Dutch trek (“a draft; feature; trait; groove; expedition”)), German Low German Treck (“a draught; movement; passage; flow”). See tread, trek.