Sidetrack

Sidetrack
Sidetrack Side"track`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sidetracked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sidetracking}.] 1. (Railroads) To transfer to a siding from a main line of track. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

2. Hence, fig., to divert or reduce to a position or condition that is relatively secondary or subordinate in activity, importance, effectiveness, or the like; to switch off; to turn aside, as from a purpose. [Colloq.]

Such a project was, in fact, sidetracked in favor of the census of school children. --Pop. Sci. Monthly. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • sidetrack — (n.) railway siding, 1835, from SIDE (Cf. side) (adj.) + TRACK (Cf. track) (n.). The verb meaning to move (a train car) onto a sidetrack is from 1880; figurative sense of to divert from the main purpose is attested from 1889. Related: Sidetracked …   Etymology dictionary

  • sidetrack — index digress, divert Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • sidetrack — [v] divert alter, avert, change, deflect, digress, redirect, swerve, switch, veer; concepts 187,213 …   New thesaurus

  • sidetrack — ► VERB 1) distract from an immediate or important issue. 2) chiefly N. Amer. direct (a train) into a branch line or siding. ► NOUN chiefly N. Amer. ▪ a railway branch line or siding …   English terms dictionary

  • sidetrack — ☆ sidetrack [sīd′trak΄ ] vt., vi. 1. to switch from a main line to a siding: said of a train, etc. 2. to turn away from the main issue or course; divert or be diverted n. a railroad siding …   English World dictionary

  • sidetrack — [[t]sa͟ɪdtræk[/t]] sidetracks, sidetracking, sidetracked also side track VERB If you are sidetracked by something, it makes you forget what you intended to do or say, and start instead doing or talking about a different thing. [be V ed] He was… …   English dictionary

  • sidetrack — UK [ˈsaɪdˌtræk] / US verb [transitive] Word forms sidetrack : present tense I/you/we/they sidetrack he/she/it sidetracks present participle sidetracking past tense sidetracked past participle sidetracked to delay the progress of something by… …   English dictionary

  • sidetrack — I. noun Date: 1835 1. siding 2 2. a position or condition of secondary importance to which one may be diverted II. transitive verb Date: 1880 1. to shunt aside (as to a railroad siding) 2. a. to turn aside from a purpose …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sidetrack — side|track1 [ saıd,træk ] verb transitive to delay the progress of something by causing people to waste time on something else that is unimportant: get sidetracked: It s easy to get sidetracked by talking about unimportant issues like this one.… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Sidetrack Films — is a film production company based out of Brooklyn, New York formed by Ravi Anne in 2005 [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=SIDETRACK FILMS About Us | date=2006 | publisher= | url =http://www.sidetrackfilms.com/about/ | work… …   Wikipedia

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