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race (1)

race [ rayss ]


noun  (plural rac·es)
Definition:
 
1. contest of speed: a contest to decide who is the fastest, e.g. between runners or horseback riders

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

3. oceanography geography water current: a strong localized current in the sea or a river

4. civil engineering water channel: a channel that carries water from one place to another, especially from a stream to a water wheel

5. mechanical engineering groove guiding sliding object: a groove along which something such as a ball bearing slides

6. narrow passage: a narrow path or passage, e.g. one leading sheep from their enclosure to a dip

7. regular course: the fixed course regularly followed or traveled by something, especially the Sun or the Moon ( archaic or literary )

8. journey: a single passage along a fixed course, especially the course that somebody's life follows ( archaic or literary )



plural noun rac·es 
Definition:
 
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.



verb  (past and past participle raced, present participle rac·ing, 3rd person present singular rac·es)
Definition:
 
1. transitive and intransitive verb compete against somebody in race: to compete with somebody in a contest of speed

2. transitive verb enter something in race: to enter, ride, or drive something such as a horse or car in a race

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

4. intransitive verb beat fast: to beat much faster than usual, e.g. because of nervousness or excitement ( refers to the heart )

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

[13th century. < Old Norse rás "rush, running" < Indo-European, "be in motion"]
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