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Definition of race verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

race

verb
 
/reɪs/
 
/reɪs/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they race
 
/reɪs/
 
/reɪs/
he / she / it races
 
/ˈreɪsɪz/
 
/ˈreɪsɪz/
past simple raced
 
/reɪst/
 
/reɪst/
past participle raced
 
/reɪst/
 
/reɪst/
-ing form racing
 
/ˈreɪsɪŋ/
 
/ˈreɪsɪŋ/
jump to other results

    compete

  1. [intransitive, transitive] to compete against somebody/something to see who can go faster or the fastest, do something first, etc.; to take part in a race or races
    • They raced to a thrilling victory in the relay.
    • She'll be racing for the senior team next year.
    • race against somebody/something Who will he be racing against in the next round?
    • race somebody/something We raced each other back to the car.
    • race to do something Television companies are racing to be the first to screen his life story.
    Topics Successa2, Sports: other sportsa2
  2. [transitive] race something to make an animal or a vehicle compete in a race
    • to race dogs/horses/pigeons
    • to race motorbikes
    Topics Sports: other sportsb1
  3. move fast

  4. [intransitive, transitive] to move very fast; to move somebody/something very fast
    • + adv./prep. He raced up the stairs.
    • The days seemed to race past.
    • Her two dogs raced ahead.
    • She raced through the work in no time at all.
    • race somebody/something + adv./prep. The injured man was raced to the hospital.
    • She raced her car through the narrow streets of the town.
    Extra Examples
    • Farms and towns raced by.
    • Most of these movies have characters racing against the clock to save the day.
    • She raced frantically to catch the train.
    • Two boys suddenly came racing around the corner.
    • First thing every morning, they would race down to the beach and dive into the sea.
    • Peter raced ahead to be the first to tell his mother the news.
    • We all raced back to the camp.
    • He raced clear on goal.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • frantically
    • madly
    • wildly
    preposition
    • across
    • after
    • along
    phrases
    • come racing
    • race against the clock
    • race against time
    See full entry
  5. of heart/mind/thoughts

  6. [intransitive] to function very quickly because you are afraid, excited, etc.
    • My mind raced as I tried to work out what was happening.
    • My heart was racing with fear.
    • She took a deep breath to calm her racing pulse.
    Topics Feelingsc2
  7. of engine

  8. [intransitive] to run too fast
    • The truck came to rest against a tree, its engine racing.
  9. Word Originverb late Old English, from Old Norse rás ‘current’. It was originally a northern English word with the sense ‘rapid forward movement’, which gave rise to the senses ‘contest of speed’ (early 16th cent.) and ‘channel, path’. The verb dates from the late 15th cent.
See race in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
trait
noun
 
 
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