sidetrack
sidetracked; sidetracking; sidetracks
To sidetrack is to veer off a straight path, or to cause something (or someone) to do so. The smell of a rabbit in the woods might sidetrack your dog from coming when you call him.
In addition to literally wandering off course, sidetrack can also be used figuratively, when someone gets distracted from a task or focus, like when your text messages sidetrack you from finishing your homework. You can sidetrack a conversation, too, by controlling it and steering it in a new direction: "She always sidetracks the conversation so we end up talking about television."
Definitions of sidetrack
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wander from a direct or straight course
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a short stretch of railroad track used to store rolling stock or enable trains on the same line to pass
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synonyms:
railroad siding, siding, turnout
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type of:
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railroad, railroad track, railway
a line of track providing a runway for wheels
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railroad, railroad track, railway
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘sidetrack'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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