off the track

Idioms  

1. Away from one's objective, train of thought, or a sequence of events, It is often put as, as in Your question has gotten me off the track, or The interruption threw Mom off the track and she forgot what she'd already put into the stew. This term comes from railroading, where it means “derailed.” Its figurative use was first recorded in 1875.

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Example Sentences

Now he’s pulled off the track equivalent with the announcement that 2024 Olympian Quincy Wilson, from Bullis School in Potomac, Md., is coming on April 11 to compete at the Arcadia Invitational at Arcadia High.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

The incident was put under investigation by the stewards and the question was whether Norris would receive a penalty for overtaking off the track.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2025

The front of the car lost grip, and kept losing grip, and Norris had to abort to prevent going off the track.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2025

The stewards' verdict said that Verstappen was ready to give Hamilton more room, but that Hamilton had chosen to go off the track himself.

From BBC • Aug. 5, 2025

He couldn’t begin to comprehend, now, how far off the track he was with his baptismal fixation.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver