1. Home
2. Idioms
3. track down

track down

---

---

track someone or something down

to search out where someone or something is. I don't know where Anne is. I'll try to track her down. I'll track down Anne for you.

See also: down, track

track down somebody/something

also track somebody/something down

to find someone or something after searching for them I'm trying to track down one of my old classmates from college. My library assistant tracked down several references for me My mother wanted to find the family who had taken care of my father during the war, and somehow she was able to track them down.

See also: down, track

track down

Follow successfully, locate, as in I've been trying to track down that book but haven't had any luck. This term alludes to the literal use of track, "follow the footsteps of." [Second half of 1800s]

See also: down, track

track down

v.

To pursue someone or something until found or captured: I tracked down the book I was looking for. The fugitives were missing for a month before the police tracked them down.

See also: down, track