Tract

noun

Etymology

Abbrev.from 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.

Tracts for the Times
See Tractarian.

Tract

noun

Etymology

Low 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,verb, and cf. Tratt.

Something drawn out or extended; expanse.
“The deep tract of hell.” Milton.
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.
[Obsolete] Traits; features; lineaments.

The discovery of a man's self by the tracts of his countenance is a great weakness.
— Bacon.
[Obsolete] The footprint of a wild beast. Dryden.
[Obsolete] Track; trace.

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

But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forthon, Leaving no tract behind.
— Shakespeare
[Obsolete] Treatment; exposition. Shakespeare
[Obsolete] Continuity or extension of anything; as, the tract of speech. Older.
Continued or protracted duration; length; extent.
“Improved by tract of time.” Milton.
(Roman Catholic Church) 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.

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

Tract

verb transitive

[Obsolete] To trace out; to track; also, to draw out; to protact. Spenser.
B. Jonson.

← Trackway

Tractability →