speed
rapidity in moving, going, traveling, proceeding, or performing; swiftness; celerity: the speed of light;the speed of sound.
relative rapidity in moving, going, etc.; rate of motion or progress: full speed ahead.
full, maximum, or optimum rate of motion: The car gets to speed in just nine seconds.
Automotive. a transmission gear ratio.
Photography.
Also called film speed . the sensitivity of a film or paper to light, measured by an ASA or DIN index, which assigns low numbers to slow film and higher numbers to faster film.
Also called shutter speed . the length of time a shutter is opened to expose the film or digital sensor inside the camera to light.
the largest opening at which a lens can be used.
Slang. a stimulating drug, as caffeine, ephedrine, or especially methamphetamine or amphetamine.
Informal. a person or thing that is compatible with or typical of one's ability, personality, desires, etc.: My speed is writing postcards on the porch while everyone else is tearing around the tennis court.
Archaic. success or prosperity.
to promote the success of (an affair, undertaking, etc.); further, forward, or expedite.
to direct (the steps, course, way, etc.) with speed.
to increase the rate of speed of (usually followed by up): to speed up industrial production.
to bring to a particular speed, as a machine.
to cause to move, go, or proceed with speed.
to expedite the going of: to speed the parting guest.
Archaic. to cause to succeed or prosper.
to move, go, pass, or proceed with speed or rapidity.
to drive a vehicle at a rate that exceeds the legally established maximum: He was arrested for speeding.
to increase the rate of speed or progress (usually followed by up).
to get on or fare in a specified or particular manner.
Archaic. to succeed or prosper.
Idioms about speed
at full / top speed,
at the greatest speed possible: We drove down the highway at full speed.
to the maximum of one's capabilities; with great rapidity: He worked at full speed.
up to speed,
operating at full or optimum speed.
functioning or producing at an expected, acceptable, or competitive level; up to par: a new firm not yet up to speed.
Origin of speed
1synonym study For speed
Other words for speed
Opposites for speed
Other words from speed
- speedful, adjective
- speed·ful·ly, adverb
- speed·ful·ness, noun
- speed·ing·ly, adverb
- speed·ing·ness, noun
- speedless, adjective
- mul·ti·speed, adjective
- outspeed, verb (used with object), out·sped or out·speed·ed, out·speed·ing.
- o·ver·speed, verb, o·ver·sped or o·ver·speed·ed, o·ver·speed·ing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use speed in a sentence
This way he pulled scores from the death marches, and speeded them back to Budapest.
Raoul Wallenberg’s World War II Heroism a Lesson for World Doing Nothing About Syria | Kati Marton | March 15, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTSpeeded-up expensing for business adds another $10 billion or so.
Everything speeded up for him over the past month, and this reprieve he's been forced to take is exactly what he needs.
He went careering forward to his point, overturning and wounding; but as he speeded on, he left a train of enemies behind.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterShiv speeded up to forty miles an hour as he rolled to the top of a little hill.
If Delancy's car hadn't speeded up, Black Hood in the car behind might not have taken particular notice of it.
In a trice he speeded up the Comet and leaped forward toward the caon, sand and loosened pebbles dropping all around him.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run | Stanley R. MatthewsShe made but few changes in the material things, but the two old bachelors and the occasional cow hands were certainly speeded up.
David Lannarck, Midget | George S. Harney
British Dictionary definitions for speed
/ (spiːd) /
the act or quality of acting or moving fast; rapidity
the rate at which something moves, is done, or acts
physics a scalar measure of the rate of movement of a body expressed either as the distance travelled divided by the time taken (average speed) or the rate of change of position with respect to time at a particular point (instantaneous speed). It is measured in metres per second, miles per hour, etc
a rate of rotation, usually expressed in revolutions per unit time
a gear ratio in a motor vehicle, bicycle, etc
(in combination): a three-speed gear
photog a numerical expression of the sensitivity to light of a particular type of film, paper, or plate: See also ISO rating
photog a measure of the ability of a lens to pass light from an object to the image position, determined by the aperture and also the transmitting power of the lens. It increases as the f-number is decreased and vice versa
a slang word for amphetamine
archaic prosperity or success
at speed quickly
up to speed
operating at an acceptable or competitive level
in possession of all the relevant or necessary information
to move or go or cause to move or go quickly
(intr) to drive (a motor vehicle) at a high speed, esp above legal limits
(tr) to help further the success or completion of
(intr) slang to take or be under the influence of amphetamines
(intr) to operate or run at a high speed
archaic
(intr) to prosper or succeed
(tr) to wish success to
Origin of speed
1- See also speed up
Derived forms of speed
- speeder, noun
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
Scientific definitions for speed
[ spēd ]
The ratio of the distance traveled by an object (regardless of its direction) to the time required to travel that distance. Compare velocity.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with speed
In addition to the idiom beginning with speed
- speed up
also see:
- full speed ahead
- up to par (speed)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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