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lose track

/luːz træk/
phrasal verb★Intermediate— to forget or stop paying attention◆phrasal verb
◆ What It Really Means
To forget or stop paying attention to something, especially time or a sequence of events.
¶ Literal Meaning
To misplace a physical track or path.
Literal Breakdown
loseto misplace+tracka path or sequence
◇ Mental Image
The metaphor of losing a path or sequence to describe losing awareness or attention.
◈ When to Use
A person working late at night might say, 'I lost track of time and didn't realize it was midnight.'
◉ Cultural Note
This phrase is commonly used in English to describe moments of distraction or forgetfulness, especially in fast-paced or busy situations.
informal

To forget or stop paying attention to something, especially time or a sequence of events.

She lost track of the conversation when her phone rang.

She stopped paying attention to the conversation when her phone rang.

I lost track of how many emails I sent today.

I forgot how many emails I sent today.

💡

Often used to describe losing awareness of time or details in a situation.

Collocations

lose track of timeto forget how much time has passedlose track of what's happeningto stop paying attention to events

Synonyms

forgetoverlookmissoverlook

Antonyms

remembertrackfollowmonitor

Related Phrases

keep trackphrasal verb
to maintain awareness or record of something
track downphrasal verb
to find someone or something after searching

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

Use 'lose track' when describing moments when you forget or stop paying attention to something, especially time.

⚡Gold Rule

Context Matters

This phrase is informal and typically used in casual conversation or writing.

📖Word Origin

The phrase combines the verb 'lose' (to misplace) and 'track' (a path or sequence), metaphorically describing the loss of awareness or attention.

📝Usage Notes

Commonly used in informal contexts to describe losing awareness of time or details in a situation.

Word Breakdown

lose
to misplace or fail to retain
verb
+
track
a path or sequence of events
noun
English Dictionary

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