make tracks
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
making big tracks in the business of building real - life train sets
He thrust the clothes brush into the bewildered Prendergast's hand, patted him on the shoulder, and made tracks for the Personnel Director's Office by a circuitous route that did not take him past his own.
British National Corpus sentence via the MAGPIE corpus (CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review.
Sense 2
Meaning · English
an Americanism synonymous with skedaddle; to make oneself scarce.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “make tracks” mean?
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Is “make tracks” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.