Distract vs. Sidetrack

Distractverb

(transitive) To divert the attention of.

Distractverb

(transitive) To make crazy or insane; to drive to distraction.

Distractadjective

(obsolete) Separated; drawn asunder.

Distractadjective

(obsolete) Insane; mad.

Distractadjective

Separated; drawn asunder.

Distractadjective

Insane; mad.

Distractverb

To draw apart or away; to divide; to disjoin.

Distractverb

To draw (the sight, mind, or attention) in different directions; to perplex; to confuse; as, to distract the eye; to distract the attention.

Distractverb

To agitate by conflicting passions, or by a variety of motives or of cares; to confound; to harass.

Distractverb

To unsettle the reason of; to render insane; to craze; to madden; - most frequently used in the participle, distracted.

Distractverb

draw someone's attention away from something;

Distractverb

disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed;

Distractverb

prevent (someone) from concentrating on something

Distractverb

divert (attention) from something

Distractverb

divert one's attention from something unpleasant by doing something different or more pleasurable

Distractverb

perplex and bewilder

Sidetracknoun

(rail transport) A second, relatively short length of track just to the side of a railroad track, joined to the main track by switches at one or both ends, used either for unloading freight, or to allow two trains on a same track to meet (opposite directions) or pass (same direction); a railroad siding.

Sidetracknoun

(sometimes) Any auxiliary railroad track, as differentiated from a siding, that runs adjacent to the main track.

Sidetracknoun

(mining) A smaller tunnel or well drilled as an auxiliary off a main tunnel or well.

Sidetracknoun

An alternate train of thought, issue, topic, or activity, that is a deviation or distraction from the topic at hand or central activity, and secondary or subordinate in importance or effectiveness.

Sidetrackverb

(rail) To divert (a locomotive or train) on to a lesser used track in order to allow other trains to pass.

Sidetrackverb

To divert or distract (someone) from a main issue or course of action with an alternate or less relevant topic or activity; or, to use deliberate trickery or sly wordplay when talking to (a person) in order to avoid discussion of a subject.

Sidetrackverb

To sideline; to push aside; to divert or distract from, reducing (something) to a secondary or subordinate position.

Sidetrackverb

(intransitive) To deviate briefly from the topic at hand.

Sidetrackverb

To transfer to a siding from a main line of track.

Sidetrackverb

Hence, fig., to divert or reduce to a position or condition that is relatively secondary or subordinate in activity, importance, effectiveness, or the like; to switch off; to turn aside, as from a purpose.

Sidetracknoun

a short stretch of railroad track used to store rolling stock or enable trains on the same line to pass

Sidetrackverb

wander from a direct or straight course