race

[ reys ]

/ reɪs /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR race ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a contest of speed, as in running, riding, driving, or sailing.

races, a series of races, usually of horses or dogs, run at a set time over a regular course: They spent a day at the races.

any contest or competition, especially to achieve superiority: the arms race; the presidential race.

urgent need, responsibility, effort, etc., as when time is short or a solution is imperative: the race to find an effective vaccine.

onward movement; an onward or regular course.

the course of time.

the course of life or a part of life.

Geology.

a strong or rapid current of water, as in the sea or a river.
the channel or bed of such a current or of any stream.

an artificial channel leading water to or from a place where its energy is utilized.

the current of water in such a channel.

Also called raceway. Machinery. a channel, groove, or the like, for sliding or rolling a part or parts, as the balls of a ball bearing.

Textiles.

the float between adjacent rows of pile.
race plate.

verb (used without object), raced, rac·ing.

to engage in a contest of speed; run a race.

to run horses or dogs in races; engage in or practice horse racing or dog racing.

to run, move, or go swiftly.

(of an engine, wheel, etc.) to run with undue or uncontrolled speed when the load is diminished without corresponding diminution of fuel, force, etc.

verb (used with object), raced, rac·ing.

to run a race against; try to beat in a contest of speed: I'll race you to the water.

to enter (a horse, car, track team, or the like) in a race or races.

to cause to run, move, or go at high speed: to race a motor.

Nearby words

rac, raccoon, raccoon dog, raccoon eyes, raccoon river, race, race meeting, race music, race norming, race off, race plate

Origin of race

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English ras(e) < Old Norse rās a running, race (cognate with Old English rǣs a running); (v.) Middle English rasen, derivative of the noun (compare Old Norse rasa to rush headlong)

Related formsan·ti·rac·ing, adjectivepre·rac·ing, adjectivepro·rac·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for racing

They were racing toward the corner of Tompkins and Myrtle avenues with Johnson at the wheel when another call came over the radio.
'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Today, former TNR writers and the rest of the media establishment are racing to denounce Hughes.
The Rise and Fall of Chris Hughes and Sean Eldridge, America’s Worst Gay Power Couple|James Kirchick|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Jolly, who entered the racing world when she was eight years old, remembers being taunted as a kid.
The Moms of Monster Jam Drive Trucks, Buck Macho Culture|Eliza Krigman|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There is no merit badge yet for Dragon Boat racing, although there is one for canoeing.
Bros Love Dragon Boats|Daniel Genis|August 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I am racing around New York covering de Blasio and Al Sharpton.
Gaza, You're No Good For My Marriage|Josh Robin|August 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They are a mad, racing breed—fat, unwearied, and strenuous—the pick of their species.
The Ship Dwellers|Albert Bigelow Paine
His short legs worked furiously, like pistons in a racing engine.
Ticktock and Jim|Keith Robertson
The last words were addressed to a boy in a tattered jacket, who was racing after a passing carriage.
Trevlyn Hold|Mrs. Henry Wood
As a rule I don't like these men who go in for racing, but he is a deuced-nice fellow.
The Queen's Cup|G. A. Henty
People were arriving from the Derby, and the talk was of the day's racing.
The Christian|Hall Caine

British Dictionary definitions for racing (1 of 5)

racing

/ (ˈreɪsɪŋ) /

adjective

denoting or associated with horse racesthe racing fraternity; a racing man

noun

the practice of engaging horses (or sometimes greyhounds) in contests of speed

British Dictionary definitions for racing (2 of 5)

Race

/ (reɪs) /

noun

Cape Race a cape at the SE extremity of Newfoundland, Canada

British Dictionary definitions for racing (3 of 5)

race

/ (reɪs) /

noun

a contest of speed, as in running, swimming, driving, riding, etc

any competition or rivalrythe race for the White House

rapid or constant onward movementthe race of time

a rapid current of water, esp one through a narrow channel that has a tidal range greater at one end than the other

a channel of a stream, esp one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energya mill race

a channel or groove that contains ball bearings or roller bearings or that restrains a sliding component
the inner or outer cylindrical ring in a ball bearing or roller bearing

Australian and NZ a narrow passage or enclosure in a sheep yard through which sheep pass individually, as to a sheep dip

Australian a wire tunnel through which footballers pass from the changing room onto a football field

NZ a line of containers coupled together, used in mining to transport coal

another name for slipstream (def. 1)

archaic the span or course of life

not in the race Australian informal given or having no chance

verb

to engage in a contest of speed with (another)

to engage (oneself or one's representative) in a race, esp as a profession or pastimeto race pigeons

to move or go as fast as possible

to run (an engine, shaft, propeller, etc) or (of an engine, shaft, propeller, etc) to run at high speed, esp after reduction of the load or resistance

Word Origin for race

C13: from Old Norse rās running; related to Old English rǣs attack

British Dictionary definitions for racing (4 of 5)

race

/ (reɪs) /

noun

a group of people of common ancestry, distinguished from others by physical characteristics, such as hair type, colour of eyes and skin, stature, etc. Principal races are Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid

the human race human beings collectively

a group of animals or plants having common characteristics that distinguish them from other members of the same species, usually forming a geographically isolated group; subspecies

a group of people sharing the same interests, characteristics, etcthe race of authors

play the race card informal to introduce the subject of race into a public discussion, esp to gain a strategic advantage

Word Origin for race

C16: from French, from Italian razza, of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for racing (5 of 5)

race

/ (reɪs) /

noun

a ginger root

Word Origin for race

C15: from Old French rais, from Latin rādīx a root

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for racing (1 of 5)

racing

1670s, verbal noun from race (v.).

Word Origin and History for racing (1 of 5)

race

n.1

"act of running," c.1300, from Old Norse ras "running, rush (of water)," cognate with Old English ræs "a running, a rush, a leap, jump; a storming, an attack;" or else a survival of the Old English word with spelling influenced by the Old Norse one. The Norse and Old English words are from Proto-Germanic *res- (cf. Middle Dutch rasen "to rave, rage," German rasen, Old English raesettan "to rage" (of fire)), from a variant form of PIE *ers- "be in motion" (see err). Originally a northern word, it became general in English c.1550. Meaning "act of running" is from early 14c. Meaning "contest of speed" first recorded 1510s.

Word Origin and History for racing (2 of 5)

race

n.2

"people of common descent," a word from the 16th century, from Middle French race, earlier razza "race, breed, lineage, family" (16c.), possibly from Italian razza, of unknown origin (cf. Spanish and Portuguese raza). Etymologists say no connection with Latin radix "root," though they admit this might have influenced the "tribe, nation" sense.

Original senses in English included "wines with characteristic flavor" (1520), "group of people with common occupation" (c.1500), and "generation" (1540s). Meaning "tribe, nation, or people regarded as of common stock" is by 1560s. Modern meaning of "one of the great divisions of mankind based on physical peculiarities" is from 1774 (though as OED points out, even among anthropologists there never has been an accepted classification of these).

Just being a Negro doesn't qualify you to understand the race situation any more than being sick makes you an expert on medicine. [Dick Gregory, 1964]

In mid-20c. U.S. music catalogues, "Negro." Klein suggests these derive from Arabic ra's "head, beginning, origin" (cf. Hebrew rosh). Old English þeode meant both "race, folk, nation" and "language;" as a verb, geþeodan, it meant "to unite, to join."

Word Origin and History for racing (3 of 5)

race

c.1200, rasen "to rush," from a Scandinavian source akin to the source of race (n.1), reinforced by the noun in English and by Old English cognate ræsan "to rush headlong, hasten, enter rashly." Meaning "run swiftly" is from 1757. Meaning "run in competition against" is from 1809. Transitive sense of "cause to run" is from 1860. In reference to an engine, etc., "run with uncontrolled speed," from 1862. Related: Raced; racing.

Word Origin and History for racing (4 of 5)

race

n.3

"strong current of water," late 14c., perhaps a particular use of race (n.1), or from or influenced by Old French raz, which had a similar meaning, and which probably is from Breton raz "a strait, narrow channel;" this French source also may have given race its meaning of "channel of a stream" (especially an artificial one to a mill), which is recorded in English from 1560s.

Medicine definitions for racing

race

[ rās ]

n.

A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics.

A population of organisms differing from others of the same species in the frequency of hereditary traits; a subspecies.

A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.

Science definitions for racing

race

[ rās ]

An interbreeding, usually geographically isolated population of organisms differing from other populations of the same species in the frequency of hereditary traits. A race that has been given formal taxonomic recognition is known as a subspecies.
A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.

Any of several extensive human populations associated with broadly defined regions of the world and distinguished from one another on the basis of inheritable physical characteristics, traditionally conceived as including such traits as pigmentation, hair texture, and facial features. Because the number of genes responsible for such physical variations is tiny in comparison to the size of the human genome and because genetic variation among members of a traditionally recognized racial group is generally as great as between two such groups, most scientists now consider race to be primarily a social rather than a scientific concept.

Idioms and Phrases with racing

race

see rat race; slow but sure (steady wins the race).

race

noun

verb (used without object), raced, rac·ing.

verb (used with object), raced, rac·ing.

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Origin of race

Examples from the Web for racing

British Dictionary definitions for racing (1 of 5)

racing

adjective

noun

British Dictionary definitions for racing (2 of 5)

Race

noun

British Dictionary definitions for racing (3 of 5)

race

noun

verb

Word Origin for race

British Dictionary definitions for racing (4 of 5)

race

noun

Word Origin for race

British Dictionary definitions for racing (5 of 5)

race

noun

Word Origin for race

Word Origin and History for racing (1 of 5)

racing

Word Origin and History for racing (1 of 5)

race

Word Origin and History for racing (2 of 5)

race

Word Origin and History for racing (3 of 5)

race

Word Origin and History for racing (4 of 5)

race

Medicine definitions for racing

race

n.

Science definitions for racing

race

Idioms and Phrases with racing

race