ride

[ rahyd ]

/ raɪd /

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verb (used without object), rode or (Archaic) rid; rid·den or (Archaic) rid; rid·ing.

to sit on and manage a horse or other animal in motion; be carried on the back of an animal.

to be borne along on or in a vehicle or other kind of conveyance.

to move or float on the water: the surfboarders riding on the crests of the waves.

to move along in any way; be carried or supported: He is riding along on his friend's success. Distress is riding among the people.

to have a specified character for riding purposes: The car rides smoothly.

to be conditioned; depend (usually followed by on): All his hopes are riding on getting that promotion.

Informal. to continue without interruption or interference: He decided to let the bet ride.

to be carried on something, as a litter, a person's shoulders, or the like.

to work or move up from the proper place or position (usually followed by up): Her skirt rode up above her knees.

to extend or project over something, as the edge of one thing over the edge of another thing.

to turn or rest on something: the great globe of the world riding on its axis.

to appear to float in space, as a heavenly body: A blood-red moon rode in the cloudless sky.

to lie at anchor, as a ship.

verb (used with object), rode or (Archaic) rid; rid·den or (Archaic) rid; rid·ing.

to sit on and manage (a horse, bicycle, etc.) so as to be carried along.

to sit or move along on (something); be carried or borne along on: The ship rode the waves. We ride a bus.

to ride over, along, or through (a road, boundary, region, etc.); traverse.

to ridicule or harass persistently: The boys keep riding him about his poor grades.

to control, dominate, or tyrannize over: a man ridden by fear; a country that is ridden by a power-mad dictator.

to cause to ride.

to carry (a person) on something as if on a horse: He rode the child about on his back.

to execute by riding: to ride a race.

to rest on, especially by overlapping.

to keep (a vessel) at anchor or moored.

Jazz. to play improvisations on (a melody).

noun

a journey or excursion on a horse, camel, etc., or on or in a vehicle.

a means of or arrangement for transportation by motor vehicle: We'll handle rides to be sure everyone gets home quickly.

the vehicle used for transportation: I've got to hang up now—my ride's here.

a vehicle or device, as a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, or merry-go-round, on which people ride for amusement.

a way, road, etc., made especially for riding.

Verb Phrases

ride out,

to sustain (a gale, storm, etc.) without damage, as while riding at anchor.
to sustain or endure successfully.

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There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!

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True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

true

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Idioms about ride

ride down,

to trample or overturn by riding upon or against.
to ride up to; overtake; capture: The posse rode down the escaping bank robber.
Nautical. to bear down upon (a rope of a tackle) with all one's weight.

ride for a fall, to conduct oneself so as to invite misfortune or injury.

ride herd on. herd¹ (def. 6).

ride shotgun. shotgun (def. 9).

ride the beam, Aeronautics. to fly along the course indicated by a radio beam.

take for a ride, Slang.

to murder, especially by abducting the victim for that purpose.
to deceive; trick: It was obvious to everyone but me that I was being taken for a ride.

Origin of ride

before 900; 1915–20 for def. 17; Middle English riden (v.), Old English rīdan; cognate with Old Frisian rīda,German reiten,Old Norse rītha; akin to Old Irish ríad journey (cf. palfrey, rheda). See road

synonym study for ride

2. See drive.

Words nearby ride

ridable, riddance, ridden, riddle, riddled, ride, rideable, Rideau Canal, Rideau Hall, ride down, ride for a fall

Other definitions for ride (2 of 2)

Ride

[ rahyd ]

/ raɪd /

noun

Sally, 1951–2012, U.S. astronaut and astrophysicist: first U.S. woman to reach outer space 1983.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT RIDE

What is a basic definition of ride?

Ride is a verb that means to sit on the back of a moving animal or to travel in or on a vehicle, like a car. A ride is a journey made on an animal or using a vehicle. Ride has many other senses as a verb and a noun.

When someone rides an animal, they are usually sitting on the animal’s back while it moves. In general, the word ride is used even if the animal is uncooperative or is trying to get rid of the person sitting on them. The person sitting on the animal is called a rider. Its past tenses are rode and ridden.

Real-life examples: Horses are the most common animal that people ride. Cowboys attempt to ride angry bulls at rodeos. In many Asian countries, people ride camels.
Used in a sentence: I like to ride horses with my mom.

In a similar sense, ride is used to mean to travel using a vehicle. This can include a vehicle you stand or sit on, like a bicycle.

Real-life examples: People ride bikes, motorcycles, and skateboards. Airplanes, submarines, boats, cars, trains, buses, and subway cars are vehicles that people ride in.
Used in a sentence: Grant rides the subway to get to work.

A ride is also the journey or trip you take on an animal or using a vehicle. This sense of ride is also used figuratively to mean any journey or experience that a person has embarked on.

Real-life examples: Petting zoos often offer pony rides to children. A trip from Tokyo to Berlin would be a long ride, no matter what kind of vehicle you used. People who are afraid of heights probably won’t be fans of airplane rides.
Used in a sentence: My college years were a wild ride.

Where does ride come from?

The first records of ride come from before the 900s. It comes from the Old English verb rīdan. It is related to similar words with the same meaning, such as the Old Frisian rīda, the German reiten, and the Old Norse rītha.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to ride?

rider (noun)
ridable; rideable (adjective)

What are some synonyms for ride?

What are some words that share a root or word element with ride?

What are some words that often get used in discussing ride?

How is ride used in real life?

Ride is a very common word that most often means to travel on the back of an animal or to travel on or in a vehicle.

Who would have thought, one month ago, that I would be here after finishing my 11th Dakar on a row and in P17. Many days I could not ride at my normal pace, but I can assure you that this has been a great personal victory! Thanks to the team, the sponsors and every single
+ pic.twitter.com/f6mGs9fUQX

— Laia Sanz (@LaiaSanz_) January 15, 2021

I'm riding the bus and a whole grip of climate protestors just got on.

It's pretty clear they never ride the bus, which is pretty ironic when you think about it.

— Lawrence Sonntag (@SirLarr) September 20, 2019

I am about to board a train for a long ride so if anyone has a dramatic reason to halt me at the platform do it now before I spend the next five hours wistfully staring out the window

— JP (@jpbrammer) February 2, 2020

Try using ride!

Which of the following is a person most likely to ride?

A. bench
B. horse
C. road
D. shower

How to use ride in a sentence

Germs like the flu virus can also hitch a ride on dust and other airborne particles that we shed.
Dust can infect animals with flu, raising coronavirus concerns|Erin Garcia de Jesus|August 24, 2020|Science News For Students
If you’re a crime junkie, clear your schedule, because this one is going to take you on a ride.
This Weekend: You’ll Never Bathe the Same Way Again|Joshua Eferighe|August 21, 2020|Ozy
Uber may also try to push more drivers to work for both its rides and food delivery services to reduce costs, Shmulik said.
Will Uber and Lyft shut down in California?|Danielle Abril|August 18, 2020|Fortune
Along for the ride are the real people whose lives and livelihoods are, to some degree, linked to it.
TikTok made him famous. Now he’s imagining a world without it|Abby Ohlheiser|August 14, 2020|MIT Technology Review

Meanwhile, ride demand has been rebounding from the sharp drop-off that accompanied the start of lockdowns across the US.
Lyft still aims to be profitable by the end of next year|Michelle Cheng|August 13, 2020|Quartz
I told them it was back where I parked my car, so they offered me a ride.
The 7-Year-Old Plane Crash Survivor’s Brutal Journey Through the Woods|James Higdon|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I mean, the reality of it was, I had to go out and get on a horse, and ride in, shoot the gun — how hard was that, right?
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“They just walk around, they ride in their patrol cars, and they just pass by,” he said.
Ground Zero of the NYPD Slowdown|Batya Ungar-Sargon|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In “Sleigh Ride,” the narrator is painting a scene so perfect that it could be featured on an iconic Currier and Ives print.
The Most Confusing Christmas Music Lyrics Explained (VIDEO)|Kevin Fallon|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My bike ride that mid-October day starts like so many others.
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Possibly, he would not shy at such monstrosities after twenty miles of a lathering ride.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
The other day an excursion was arranged to Sondershausen, a town about three hours' ride from Weimar in the cars.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
The truth is, it is not safe to trot down such mountains and hardly to ride down them at all.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
The farmer told him it was six miles; "but," he added, "you must ride sharp, or you will get a wet jacket before you reach it."
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
Coppy, in a tone of too-hastily-assumed authority, had told her over night that she must not ride out by the river.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling

British Dictionary definitions for ride

ride

/ (raɪd) /

verb rides, riding, rode or ridden

to sit on and control the movements of (a horse or other animal)

(tr) to sit on and propel (a bicycle or similar vehicle)

(intr ; often foll by on or in) to be carried along or travel on or in a vehicleshe rides to work on the bus

(tr) to travel over or traversethey rode the countryside in search of shelter

(tr) to take part in by ridingto ride a race

to travel through or be carried across (sea, sky, etc)the small boat rode the waves; the moon was riding high

(tr) US and Canadian to cause to be carriedto ride someone out of town

(intr) to be supported as if floatingthe candidate rode to victory on his new policies

(intr) (of a vessel) to lie at anchor

(tr) (of a vessel) to be attached to (an anchor)

(esp of a bone) to overlap or lie over (another structure or part)

Southern African informal

(intr) to drive a car
(tr) to transport (goods, farm produce, etc) by motor vehicle or cart

(tr) (of a male animal) to copulate with; mount

(tr) slang to have sexual intercourse with (someone)

(tr; usually passive) to tyrannize over or dominateridden by fear

(tr) informal to persecute, esp by constant or petty criticismdon't ride me so hard over my failure

(intr) informal to continue undisturbedI wanted to change something, but let it ride

(tr) to endure successfully; ride out

(tr) to yield slightly to (a blow or punch) in order to lessen its impact

(intr often foll by on) (of a bet) to remain placedlet your winnings ride on the same number

(intr) jazz to play well, esp in freely improvising at perfect tempo

ride roughshod over to domineer over or act with complete disregard for

ride to hounds to take part in a fox hunt on horseback

ride for a fall to act in such a way as to invite disaster

ride again informal to return to a former activity or scene of activity

riding high confident, popular, and successful

noun

a journey or outing on horseback or in a vehicle

a path specially made for riding on horseback

transport in a vehicle, esp when given freely to a pedestrian; liftcan you give me a ride to the station?

a device or structure, such as a roller coaster at a fairground, in which people ride for pleasure or entertainment

slang an act of sexual intercourse

slang a partner in sexual intercourse

take for a ride informal

to cheat, swindle, or deceive
to take (someone) away in a car and murder him

Derived forms of ride

ridable or rideable, adjective

Word Origin for ride

Old English rīdan; related to Old High German rītan, Old Norse rītha

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with ride

ride

In addition to the idioms beginning with ride

ride for a fall
ride hellbent for leather
ride herd on
ride high
ride out
ride roughshod over
ride shotgun
ride up

also see:

along for the ride
go along (for the ride)
gravy train, ride the
hitch a ride
let ride
take someone for a ride

ride

Idioms about ride

Origin of ride

synonym study for ride

Words nearby ride

Other definitions for ride (2 of 2)

MORE ABOUT RIDE

What is a basic definition of ride?

Where does ride come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is ride used in real life?

Try using ride!

Words related to ride

How to use ride in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ride

Derived forms of ride

Word Origin for ride

Other Idioms and Phrases with ride