The idiom "jump the track" means to go off course or to deviate from the original plan or direction. It is often used to describe a situation where something goes wrong or unexpected, causing a disruption to the original plan.
The origin of this idiom comes from the railroad industry, where a train that jumps the track can cause a major accident and derailment. Similarly, when something jumps the track in our daily lives, it can cause a significant disruption or problem.
For example, if a project at work is going smoothly, but suddenly a key team member quits, the project may jump the track, causing delays and changes to the original plan. Or, if a person is on a healthy diet but suddenly indulges in junk food, their diet plan may jump the track.
In short, "jump the track" is used to describe a situation where things go wrong or off course, causing a deviation from the original plan.
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• The football match was going well until one of the players got injured, and everything just jumped the track after that.
• My plans for the weekend jumped the track when my boss called me in to work on Saturday.
• I was on my way to work when the train suddenly jumped the track, and I got really scared.
• The politician's campaign jumped the track when he made a series of controversial statements that alienated many of his supporters.
• The artist's career jumped the track when he switched from painting to sculpture, and his new works were met with critical acclaim.
• The company's financial situation jumped the track after a series of bad investments, causing them to go bankrupt.