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Webster 1913 Edition

Tract

Tract

,
Noun.
[Abbrev.fr.
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.
[L.
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
.]
1.
Something drawn out or extended; expanse.
“The deep tract of hell.”
Milton.
2.
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.
3.
Traits; features; lineaments.
[Obs.]
The discovery of a man’s self by the
tracts
of his countenance is a great weakness.
Bacon.
4.
The footprint of a wild beast.
[Obs.]
Dryden.
5.
Track; trace.
[Obs.]
Efface all
tract
of its traduction.
Sir T. Browne.
But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forthon,
Leaving no
tract
behind.
Shakespeare
6.
Treatment; exposition.
[Obs.]
Shak.
7.
Continuity or extension of anything;
as, the
tract
of speech
.
[Obs.]
Older.
8.
Continued or protracted duration; length; extent.
“Improved by tract of time.”
Milton.
9.
(R. C. Ch.)
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.
Syn. – Region; district; quarter; essay; treatise; dissertation.

Tract

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

Webster 1828 Edition

Tract

TRACT

,
Noun.
[L. tractus; traho.]
1.
Something drawn out or extended.
2.
A region, or quantity of land or water, of indefinite extent. We may apply tract to the sandy and barren desert of Syria and Arabia, or to the narrow vales of Italy and Sardinia. We say, a rich tract of land in Connecticut or Ohio, a stony tract, or a mountainous tract. We apply tract to a single farm, or to a township or state.
3.
A treatise; a written discourse or dissertation of indefinite length, but generally not of great extent.
4.
In hunting, the trace or footing of a wild beast.
5.
Treatment; exposition. [Not in use.]
6.
Track. [Not in use.]
7.
Continuity or extension of any thing; as a tract of speech. [Not much used.]
8.
Continued or protracted duration; length; extend; as a long tract of time.

TRACT

,
Verb.
T.
To trace out; to draw out. [Not in use.]

Definition 2024

tract

tract

English

Noun

tract ‎(plural tracts)

  1. An area or expanse.
    an unexplored tract of sea
    • Milton
      the deep tract of ****
    • Addison
      a very high mountain joined to the mainland by a narrow tract of earth
  2. A series of connected body organs, as in the digestive tract.
  3. A small booklet such as a pamphlet, often for promotional or informational uses.
  4. A brief treatise or discourse on a subject.
    • Jonathan Swift
      The church clergy at that writ the best collection of tracts against popery that ever appeared.
  5. A commentator's view or perspective on a subject.
  6. Continued or protracted duration, length, extent
    • Milton
      improved by tract of time
    • 1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and Present, book 2, ch. XIV, Henry of Essex
      Nay, in another case of litigation, the unjust Standard bearer, for his own profit, asserting that the cause belonged not to St. Edmund’s Court, but to his in Lailand Hundred, involved us in travellings and innumerable expenses, vexing the servants of St. Edmund for a long tract of time […]
  7. Part of the proper of the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations, used instead of the alleluia during Lenten or pre-Lenten seasons, in a Requiem Mass, and on a few other penitential occasions.
  8. (obsolete) Continuity or extension of anything.
    the tract of speech
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Older to this entry?)
  9. (obsolete) Traits; features; lineaments.
    • Francis Bacon
      The discovery of a man's self by the tracts of his countenance is a great weakness.
  10. (obsolete) The footprint of a wild animal.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Dryden to this entry?)
  11. (obsolete) Track; trace.
    • Sir Thomas Browne
      Efface all tract of its traduction.
    • Shakespeare
      But flies an eagle flight, bold, and forth on, / Leaving no tract behind.
  12. (obsolete) Treatment; exposition.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
Related terms
Translations
a series of connected body organs

Etymology 2

From tractus, the participle stem of Latin trahere.

Verb

tract ‎(third-person singular simple present tracts, present participle tracting, simple past and past participle tracted)

  1. (obsolete) To pursue, follow; to track.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.i:
      Where may that treachour then (said he) be found, / Or by what meanes may I his footing tract?
  2. (obsolete) To draw out; to protract.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Ben Jonson to this entry?)

French

Noun

tract m ‎(plural tracts)

  1. flyer, circular. pamphlet

Etymology

From tractus, the perfect passive participle of Latin trahō.

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ækt

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