coast
verb/kəʊst/
/kəʊst/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they coast | /kəʊst/ /kəʊst/ |
| he / she / it coasts | /kəʊsts/ /kəʊsts/ |
| past simple coasted | /ˈkəʊstɪd/ /ˈkəʊstɪd/ |
| past participle coasted | /ˈkəʊstɪd/ /ˈkəʊstɪd/ |
| -ing form coasting | /ˈkəʊstɪŋ/ /ˈkəʊstɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) (of a motor vehicle or a bicycle) to move, especially down a hill, without using any power
- The car coasted along until it stopped.
- She took her feet off the pedals and coasted downhill.
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- [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) (of a vehicle) to move quickly and smoothly, without using much power
- The plane coasted down the runway.
- We coasted along the country lanes.
- [intransitive] coast (through/to something) to be successful at something without having to try hard
- He coasted through his final exams.
- Our horse coasted home (= won easily) by three lengths.
- [intransitive] coast (along) (disapproving) to put very little effort into something
- You're just coasting—it's time to work hard now.
- [intransitive] (of a ship) to stay close to land while sailing around the coast
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘side of the body’), from Old French coste (noun), costeier (verb), from Latin costa ‘rib, flank, side’. The current noun sense arose from the phrase coast of the sea ‘side of the sea’.
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