Track (?), n. [OF. trac track of
horses, mules, trace of animals; of Teutonic origin; cf.D. trek a
drawing, trekken to draw, travel, march, MHG. trechen, pret.
trach. Cf. Trick.] 1. A mark left by
something that has passed along; as, the track, or wake, of a ship;
the track of a meteor; the track of a sled or a
wheel.
The bright track of his fiery car.
Shak.
2. A mark or impression left by the foot, either of
man or beast; trace; vestige; footprint.
Far from track of men.
Milton.
3. (Zoöl.) The entire lower surface of
the foot; -- said of birds, etc.
4. A road; a beaten path.
Behold Torquatus the same track pursue.
Dryden.
5. Course; way; as, the track of a
comet.
6. A path or course laid out for a race, for
exercise, etc.
7. (Railroad) The permanent way; the
rails.
8. [Perhaps a mistake for tract.] A tract or
area, as of land. [Obs.] "Small tracks of ground."
Fuller.
Track scale, a railway scale. See under
Railway.
Track, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
tracked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. tracking.]
To follow the tracks or traces of; to pursue by following the marks of
the feet; to trace; to trail; as, to track a deer in the
snow.
It was often found impossible to track the robbers to
their retreats among the hills and morasses.
Macaulay.
2. (Naut.) To draw along continuously, as a
vessel, by a line, men or animals on shore being the motive power; to
tow.
Track (?), n. [OF. trac track of
horses, mules, trace of animals; of Teutonic origin; cf.D. trek a
drawing, trekken to draw, travel, march, MHG. trechen, pret.
trach. Cf. Trick.] 1. A mark left by
something that has passed along; as, the track, or wake, of a ship;
the track of a meteor; the track of a sled or a
wheel.
The bright track of his fiery car.
Shak.
2. A mark or impression left by the foot, either of
man or beast; trace; vestige; footprint.
Far from track of men.
Milton.
3. (Zoöl.) The entire lower surface of
the foot; -- said of birds, etc.
4. A road; a beaten path.
Behold Torquatus the same track pursue.
Dryden.
5. Course; way; as, the track of a
comet.
6. A path or course laid out for a race, for
exercise, etc.
7. (Railroad) The permanent way; the
rails.
8. [Perhaps a mistake for tract.] A tract or
area, as of land. [Obs.] "Small tracks of ground."
Fuller.
Track scale, a railway scale. See under
Railway.
Track, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
tracked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. tracking.]
To follow the tracks or traces of; to pursue by following the marks of
the feet; to trace; to trail; as, to track a deer in the
snow.
It was often found impossible to track the robbers to
their retreats among the hills and morasses.
Macaulay.
2. (Naut.) To draw along continuously, as a
vessel, by a line, men or animals on shore being the motive power; to
tow.
