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Definition of track verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

track

verb
 
 
/træk/
 
/træk/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they track
 
/træk/
 
/træk/
he / she / it tracks
 
/træks/
 
/træks/
past simple tracked
 
/trækt/
 
/trækt/
past participle tracked
 
/trækt/
 
/trækt/
-ing form tracking
 
/ˈtrækɪŋ/
 
/ˈtrækɪŋ/
Phrasal Verbs
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    follow

  1.  
     [transitive, intransitive] to find somebody/something by following the marks, signs, information, etc., that they have left behind them
    • track somebody/something hunters tracking and shooting bears
    • They tracked the herd for miles.
    • The suspect was tracked to the flat by undercover police from Scotland Yard.
  2.  
    [transitive] to follow the movements of somebody/something, especially by using special electronic equipment
    • track somebody/something We continued tracking the plane on our radar.
    • Media consultants can track the eye movements of people who are watching TV commercials.
    • We are tracking severe weather tonight in parts of Texas.
    • track where, how, etc… The GPS units track where the cattle roam.
  3.  
    [transitive] to follow the progress or development of somebody/something
    • track somebody/something The research project involves tracking the careers of 400 graduates.
    • Setting goals means you can track your progress.
    • We utilize a software package to track project results.
    • track where, how, etc… The software helps educators track how students perform.
    see also fast-track

    4. of camera

  4. [intransitive] + adv./prep. to move in relation to the thing that is being filmed
    • The camera eventually tracked away.
    5.

    school students

  5. (North American English)
    (also stream especially in British English)
    [transitive] (in schools) to put school students into groups according to their ability

    6. leave marks

  6. [transitive] track something (+ adv./prep.) (especially North American English) to leave dirty marks behind you as you walk
    • Don't track mud on my clean floor.
    7.

    of a statistic, number, etc.

  7. [intransitive] to stay at the same level for a period of time
    • Annual employment growth is tracking at 2%.
    Topics Maths and measurementc2
    8. Word Originlate 15th cent. (in the sense ‘trail, marks left behind’): the noun from Old French trac, perhaps from Low German or Dutch trek ‘draught, drawing’; the verb (current senses dating from the mid 16th cent.) from French traquer or directly from the noun.
See track in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee track in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: track

Nearby words

unclear
adjective
 
 
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OPAL written words
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