Tracts for the Times. See Tractarian.

Tract
(Tract), n. [L. tractus a drawing, train, track, course, tract of land, from trahere tractum, to draw. Senses 4 and 5 are perhaps due to confusion with track. See Trace,v., and cf. Tratt.]

1. Something drawn out or extended; expanse. "The deep tract of hell." Milton.

2. A region or quantity of land or water, of indefinite extent; an area; as, an unexplored tract of sea.

A very high mountain joined to the mainland by a narrow tract of earth.
Addison.

3. Traits; features; lineaments. [Obs.]

The discovery of a man's self by the tracts of his countenance is a great weakness.
Bacon.

4. The footprint of a wild beast. [Obs.] Dryden.

5. Track; trace. [Obs.]

Efface all tract of its traduction.
Sir T. Browne.

But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forthon,
Leaving no tract behind.
Shak.

6. Treatment; exposition. [Obs.] Shak.

7. Continuity or extension of anything; as, the tract of speech. [Obs.] Older.

8. Continued or protracted duration; length; extent. "Improved by tract of time." Milton.

9. (R. C. Ch.) Verses of Scripture sung at Mass, instead of the Alleluia, from Septuagesima Sunday till the Saturday befor Easter; — so called because sung tractim, or without a break, by one voice, instead of by many as in the antiphons.

Syn. — Region; district; quarter; essay; treatise; dissertation.

1. One who, or that which, tracks or pursues, as a man or dog that follows game.

And of the trackers of the deer
Scarce half the lessening pack was near.
Sir W. Scott.

2. (Mus.) In the organ, a light strip of wood connecting (in path) a key and a pallet, to communicate motion by pulling.

Trackless
(Track"less), a. Having no track; marked by no footsteps; untrodden; as, a trackless desert.

To climb the trackless mountain all unseen.
Byron.

Track"less*ly, adv.- Track"less*ness, n.

Trackmaster
(Track"mas`ter) n. (Railroad) One who has charge of the track; — called also roadmaster.

Track-road
(Track"-road`) n. A towing path.

Trackscout
(Track"scout) n. See Trackschuyt.

Tract
(Tract) n. [Abbrev.fr. tractate.] A written discourse or dissertation, generally of short extent; a short treatise, especially on practical religion.

The church clergy at that time writ the best collection of tracts against popery that ever appeared.
Swift.


  By PanEris using Melati.

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