make tracks

Meaning

To 'make tracks' means to leave a place immediately or to head home, often because you are in a hurry or it is getting late. It is a highly casual, idiomatic expression used among friends or family. The tone is lighthearted and action-oriented.

Examples

• It's getting past midnight, so we probably ought to make tracks.

  It's getting past midnight, so we probably ought to make tracks.

• If we want to beat the morning rush hour traffic, we need to make tracks right now.

  If we want to beat the morning rush hour traffic, we need to make tracks right now.

• The storm is rolling in over the mountains, so let's make tracks back to the cabin.

  The storm is rolling in over the mountains, so let's make tracks back to the cabin.

• I'd love to stay for another drink, but I have to make tracks to catch my train.

  I'd love to stay for another drink, but I have to make tracks to catch my train.

• As soon as the concert ended, we made tracks for the exit to avoid the crowd.

  As soon as the concert ended, we made tracks for the exit to avoid the crowd.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We made tracks to the beach and built a sandcastle.

  ✓ We headed to the beach and built a sandcastle.

  'Make tracks' specifically implies leaving in a hurry or departing from somewhere to go home, not just traveling to a destination for an activity.

• ✗ I need to make a track now.

  ✓ I need to make tracks now.

  This idiom is always plural ('tracks'), never singular ('track').

Related Expressions

Practice

• Look at those dark clouds; we should probably ___ before it starts pouring.

  💡 Leave or head back quickly.

  Show answer

  make tracks

• We need to ___ if we want to get to the airport before check-in closes.

  💡 Depart immediately.

  Show answer

  make tracks