📡 To follow movement 🚂 A path or mark 🎵 A song 🕵️ A clue 🏃 Running sport 👣 To leave marks 💾 A data path

track

1 6.5

A circular path on a disk where information is stored

noun
/træk/

Specialized

: pista

The magnetic track on the disk ensures that data can be read and written accurately.
data track
magnetic track
each track contains

Examples

When the computer accesses data, it follows the specific track where that information is stored.
Each track on the hard drive is designated for specific files to optimize storage.
To measure the data rate, we first wrote a series of tracks containing a known data pattern.

Academic text (1995)
Data about all tenured and tenure-track faculty were included in the project.

Academic text (2015)
The indoor test consisted of a 0.241 km test track, including numerous obstacles and floor surfaces.

Academic text (1995)
Sophisticated new algorithms improve particle tracking by recognizing true tracks in the presence of noise.

Academic text (2012)
The city's main train track runs in a northwest to southeast diagonal across the mainland.

Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

data track

vstrack

Specialized

1 5.0

A circular path on a disk that holds information for reading and writing

is the same concept but phrased more generally as a guide for reading data

Idioms

on track

314 3.4

Moving forward as planned to reach a goal

on the right track

55 3.7

You are making good progress toward the right result

down the track

4 5.1

At a later time

off the beaten track

4 6.5

In a place far from where most people go

Compounds

track record

113 3.7

A history of past success that shows ability and reliability

fast track

61 3.9

A quick route to success or promotion

off-track

51 4.0

Not following the planned path or topic

railroad track

36 2.5

Two metal rails on the ground that trains run on

track and field

25 1.9

Sports like running, jumping, and throwing on a track or field

track star

11 2.9

An athlete who is very good at running races on a track

inside track

9 5.2

A special advantage that gives someone a better chance to succeed

track meet

7 3.4

A competition where athletes run, jump, and throw for teams or schools

one-track mind

Informal

7 6.2

A way of thinking that focuses on one thing and ignores others

dirt track

6 3.7

A racing track for cars or motorcycles with a surface of packed earth rather than pavement

laugh track

5 3.9

A recorded audience reaction added to a TV or radio show to make jokes seem funnier

track record

3 4.1

Fastest time ever recorded at a race track for a distance

streetcar track

2 3.3

Rails in a city that trams run on

half-track

Specialized

1 8.8

Having front wheels and back tracks like a military vehicle

track event

1 2.6

A race run on a marked running track, like 100 meters

off-track

1 5.1

A train or carriage that has moved off the rails

cart track

1 4.8

A rough path made by cart wheels

half track

Specialized

1 7.7

A vehicle with tracks at the back and wheels at the front that moves over rough ground

half-track

Specialized

1 8.3

A military vehicle with front wheels and back tracks for rough ground

upbeat track

1 3.2

A lively, cheerful piece of music with a fast beat that makes people want to dance

caterpillar track

Specialized

1 5.4

A continuous metal or rubber belt around a vehicle's wheels that helps it move over rough ground

cinder track

Archaic

1 7.9

A running track with a surface of fine cinders

inside track

1 5.0

The inner side of a curved racecourse that is the shortest way

data track

Specialized

1 5.0

A circular path on a disk that holds information for reading and writing

spur track

Specialized

1 7.4

A short rail line that turns off a main line to reach a factory or warehouse

track event

Specialized

1 5.1

A saved record of a user action or system event for measurement

funk track

1 5.1

A danceable song with a strong beat and deep bass

cart-track plant

9.5

A common European plant that grows as a weed in fields and paths

moshable track

Slang

8.7

A loud fast song at a concert that makes people jump and push each other

track-to-track seek time

Specialized

7.5

Time a disk read/write head takes to move to the next data track

Surface Forms

track singular

tracks plural

Etymology

Track originally meant a 'line' or 'path', and engineers used that image for the circular path on a disk that guides reading and writing. So a disk track is a circular path where data is stored.