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| race [ rayss ] |
noun (plural rac·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. contest of speed: a contest to decide who is the fastest, e.g. between runners or horseback riders
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2. contest between rivals: a contest between two or more people seeking to do or reach the same thing, or do or reach something first
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3. oceanography geography water current: a strong localized current in the sea or a river
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4. civil engineering water channel: a channel that carries water from one place to another, especially from a stream to a water wheel
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5. mechanical engineering groove guiding sliding object: a groove along which something such as a ball bearing slides
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6. narrow passage: a narrow path or passage, e.g. one leading sheep from their enclosure to a dip
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7. regular course: the fixed course regularly followed or traveled by something, especially the Sun or the Moon
(
archaic or literary
)
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8. journey: a single passage along a fixed course, especially the course that somebody's life follows
(
archaic or literary
)
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plural noun rac·es |
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| Definition: |
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horseracing horse races or horseracing: horse races, the racetrack at which they are run, or horseracing as a spectator sport
 We spent the day at the races.
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verb (past and past participle raced, present participle rac·ing, 3rd person present singular rac·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb compete against somebody in race: to compete with somebody in a contest of speed
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2. transitive verb enter something in race: to enter, ride, or drive something such as a horse or car in a race
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3. transitive and intransitive verb move very fast: to move somewhere with great speed or haste, or make somebody or something move in this way
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4. intransitive verb beat fast: to beat much faster than usual, e.g. because of nervousness or excitement
(
refers to the heart
)
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5. transitive and intransitive verb automotive idle fast: to run at a high speed, or make an engine or motor run at a high speed
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| [13th century. < Old Norse rás "rush, running" < Indo-European, "be in motion"] |