Of a race, etc.: skilfully or successfully raced or contested. Frequently (and earliest) in figurative contexts.

Not paced (in various senses); (later esp.) without a pace or rate of progress set by some external means.

Originally and chiefly Horse Racing and Coursing. Of a race: open to competitors of all ages. Cf. all-aged, adj. 1, all-ages, adj. 1.

Of a race or contest: won by a very small margin; involving evenly matched opponents. Frequently in close-run thing. Cf. run, adj. 9.

figurative. Of quantities: Expressed in whole numbers. Of a race: Showing no difference between the competitors. (Cf. even, adj.1 8b.)

attributive. (Frequently with hyphen.) Performed over, involving, or covering a relatively great… Sport (chiefly Athletics). With reference to a race…

Designating a race or competition in which an attempt is made to equalize the chances of the competitors by means of a handicap or handicaps.

As adj. (attributive). Close; closely contested.

Designating an activity for which the time taken is measured or recorded; esp. designating a race or other sporting event in which participants are…

Horse Racing. Designating a steeplechase or similar race, chiefly for horses used in hunting, whose course runs directly across country; of or…

Sport. Designating a race or competition in which contestants start at the same time, racing alongside each other.

Athletics. Of or relating to a race over a middle distance; (of a runner) that participates in such a race.

Of an action: having a pace or rate of progress set by some external means, as by a pacemaker in a race. Also: occurring at intervals determined by…

(a) drawn or worked by, or used with, two horses; (b) (of a race or other contest) in which only two of the contestants are likely winners.