race

noun \ ˈrās \

Definition of race

1 chiefly Scotland :the act of running

2 a :a strong or rapid current of water flowing through a narrow channel

b :a watercourse used industrially

c :the current flowing in such a course

3 a :a set course or duration of time

b :the course of life

4 a :a contest of speed

b races plural :a meeting in which several races (as for horses) are run

c :a contest or rivalry involving progress toward a goal

pennant race

5 :a track or channel in which something rolls or slides; specifically :a groove (as for the balls) in a bearing — see roller bearing illustration

Origin and Etymology of race

Middle English ras, from Old Norse rās; akin to Old English rǣs rush

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

race

verb

Definition of race

raced; racing

intransitive verb

1 :to compete in a race

2 :to go, move, or function at top speed or out of control

people racing for safety

struggled to sleep as his mind raced

3 :to revolve too fast under a diminished load

transitive verb

1 :to engage in a race with

2 a :to enter in a race

b :to drive or ride at high speed

c :to transport or propel at maximum speed

3 :to speed (an engine) without a working load or with the transmission disengaged

See race defined for English-language learners

Examples of race in a Sentence

Eight horses will race for the cup.
That horse will never race again.
She's going to race the champion.
They raced each other home.
I'll race you to see who gets there first.
She races cars for a living.
The flood raced through the valley.
The truck's engine was racing.
The dog raced ahead of me.

First Known Use of race

15th century

race Synonyms

Synonyms

battle, contend, face off, fight, compete, rival, vie

Antonyms

crawl, creep, poke

Related Words

challenge, engage, play; jockey, jostle, maneuver; go out, try out; train, work

Near Antonyms

dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry; amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll; decelerate, slow (down or up)

race

noun

Definition of race

1 :a breeding stock of animals

2 a :a family, tribe, people, or nation belonging to the same stock

b :a class or kind of people unified by shared interests, habits, or characteristics

3 a :an actually or potentially interbreeding group within a species; also :a taxonomic category (such as a subspecies) representing such a group

b :breed

c :a category of humankind that shares certain distinctive physical traits

4 obsolete :inherited temperament or disposition

5 :distinctive flavor, taste, or strength

Origin and Etymology of race

Middle French, generation, from Old Italian razza

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1580

See Words from the same year

Other Genetics Terms

chimera, hermaphrodite, plasticity

RACE Defined for Kids

race

verb \ ˈrās \

Definition of race for Students

raced; racing

1 :to go, move, function, or drive at top speed

I looked up and saw black clouds racing off …
—Jon Scieszka, The Good, the Bad, and the Goofy

2 :to take part in a contest of speed

3 :to cause an engine of a motor vehicle in neutral to run fast

race

noun

Definition of race for Students

1 :a contest of speed

2 :a contest involving progress toward a goal

the race for mayor

3 :a strong or rapid current of water

race

noun

Definition of race for Students

1 :any one of the groups that human beings can be divided into based on shared distinctive physical traits

2 :a group of individuals who share a common culture or history

the English race

3 :a major group of living things

the human race

Medical Dictionary

race

noun \ ˈrās \

medical Definition of race

1 a :an actually or potentially interbreeding group within a species; also :a taxonomic category (as a subspecies) representing such a group

b :breed

2 :a category of humankind that shares certain distinctive physical traits

Learn More about race

See words that rhyme with race Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for race Spanish Central: Translation of race Nglish: Translation of race for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of race for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about race

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Origin and Etymology of race

race

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race Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

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race

Definition of race

Origin and Etymology of race

Other Genetics Terms

RACE Defined for Kids

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race

Definition of race for Students

race

Definition of race for Students

Medical Dictionary

race

medical Definition of race

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