—track /træk/
noun (DEVELOPMENT)
C2 [C or U] the direction in which someone's job or education develops:
» She was a lawyer, but then she changed track completely and became a doctor.Thesaurus+: ↑Making progress and advancing , ↑Becoming betterF0 [C usually singular] the way in which a thought or idea has developed or might develop:
» I found it difficult to follow the track of his argument.Thesaurus+: ↑Logic and reasonget off the trackF0 to start talking about something that is not part of what you should be talking about:
» I think we're getting off the track here - we're supposed to be discussing our advertising campaign.Thesaurus+: ↑Digressing and being indirect or evasive , ↑Moving in order to avoid contact , ↑Not saying muchnoun (MARKS)
B2 [C usually plural] a mark or line of marks left on the ground or on another surface by an animal, person, or vehicle that has moved over it, showing the direction they moved in:
» Police found tyre tracks in the mud.» The hunters followed the tracks of the deer for hours.» The burglars were careful not to leave any tracks behind them.Thesaurus+: ↑Holes, hollows and dipsbe on the track of sb/sthF0 to be examining marks or pieces of information that show where a person or animal has gone, in order to catch them:
» The police are on the track of the killer.Thesaurus+: ↑Pursuing• • •
Extra Examples:» We found some badger tracks in the field.» There are deep tyre tracks in the mud.» The dogs did not leave any tracks.» Houses in the track of the storm were destroyed.» The hunters are skilled at following animal tracks in the wood.noun (MUSIC)
B2 [C] one of several songs or pieces of music on a CD or other musical recording:
» The album includes four previously unreleased tracks.→ SEE ALSO SOUNDTRACK(Cf. ↑soundtrack)Thesaurus+: ↑Sound and image recordingsF0 [C] a part of a magnetic strip onto which sound can be recorded, with several tracks on one magnetic strip:
» When a piece of music is recorded, each instrument is recorded separately on a 24 or 48–track tape.Thesaurus+: ↑Audio and video equipment• • •
Extra Examples:» And this next record is the title track on the album 'The Red Shoes' .» The first track on the album is surprisingly tuneful.» Which is your favourite track on the album?» He played me a track from their new album.noun (PATH)
B1 [C] a path or rough road that is made of soil rather than having a surface covered with stone or other material:
» The house is at the end of a dirt/an unmade track.Thesaurus+: ↑Pedestrian routesC1 [C or U] the pair of long metal bars fixed on the ground at an equal distance from each other, along which trains travel:
» a ten-mile stretch of track» Passengers are requested not to walk across the tracks.See picture: railway/railroad track 
Thesaurus+: ↑Railways and railway lines
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Extra Examples:» The horse and cart jogged down the rough track towards the farm.» There's a track that leads directly to the reservoir.» After a while the narrow track merges with a wider path.» The track petered out after a mile or so.» Turn left where the road tapers off into a track.noun (SPORT)
B1 [C] a type of path or road, often in the shape of a ring, which has been specially designed and built for sports events, especially racing:
» an all-weather track» a dog/horse track» The runners are now on their final lap of the track.→ SEE ALSO RACETRACK(Cf. ↑racetrack)Thesaurus+: ↑Surfaces on which sports take placeB2 [U] US a sport in which people compete with each other by running a race on a specially prepared circular path:
» a track eventThesaurus+: ↑AthleticsF0 [U] (ALSO track and field) US FOR ATHLETICS(Cf. ↑athletics)
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Extra Examples:» At the gun, the runners sprinted away down the track.» The racing car left the track at 120 mph and scythed through the crowd of spectators, killing ten.» Stewards will be inspecting the race track at 9.00.» She was carried off the track on a stretcher.» Her life is as eventful off the track as on it.noun [C] (DIRECTION)
► F0 the direction that something has taken or will take through the air: » People living in the track of the hurricane have been advised to leave their homes until it has passed.Thesaurus+: ↑Movement through the air , ↑Aviation , ↑Travelling by aircraftverb (FOLLOW) ↑Verb Endings for track
C2 [T] to follow a person or animal by looking for proof that they have been somewhere, or by using electronic equipment:
» It's difficult to track an animal over stony ground.» The military use radar satellites to track targets through clouds and at night.» The terrorists were tracked to (= found in) Amsterdam.→ SEE ALSO BACKTRACK(Cf. ↑backtrack) (GO BACK), SIDETRACK(Cf. ↑sidetrack)Thesaurus+: ↑PursuingC2 [T] to record the progress or development of something over a period:
» The study tracked the careers of 1,226 doctors who trained at the Medical School.Thesaurus+: ↑Analysing and evaluating , ↑Assessing and estimating value• • •
Extra Examples:» His book tracks the development of modern English.» She has tracked her family back three centuries.» Police tracked the gun to an abandoned warehouse.» We spent the day tracking deer in the forest.» Radar equipment tracked the progress of the ships.verb (MOVE) ↑Verb Endings for track
F0 [I] If a television or film camera tracks in a particular direction, it moves along while it is filming:
» The film ends with a long tracking shot around the deserted house.Thesaurus+: ↑Cinema - general wordsF0 [I] SPECIALIZED If a moving part of a recording machine tracks, it gets into the correct position for operating:
» Our VCR tracks automatically.Thesaurus+: ↑Audio and video equipmentverb [T] (FINANCE) ↑Verb Endings for track
► F0 to follow the level of an interest rate, share price, etc.: » The mortgage deal will track the Bank of England base rate plus 0.75 percent.» Tony is putting £500 a month into a a savings account that tracks the FTSE All-Share index.Thesaurus+: ↑Investment and stock markets