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. Zool.
The entire lower surface of the foot;-said of birds, ect.
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, ect.
7. Raolroad
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.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913.