Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense races, present participle racing, past tense, past participle raced
1. countable noun
A race is a competition to see who is the fastest, for example in running, swimming, ordriving.
The first Le Mans 24-hour motor race was won by André Lagache and René Léonard.
2. verb
If you race, you take part in a race.
In the 10 years I raced in Europe, 30 drivers were killed. [VERB]
They may even have raced each other–but not regularly. [VERB noun]
[Also V + against]
Synonyms: compete against, run against, try to beat, have a race with More Synonyms of race
3. plural noun
The races are a series of horse races that are held in a particular place on a particular day.People go to watch and to bet on which horse will win.
The high point of this trip was a day at the races.
4. countable noun [usually singular]
A race is a situation in which people or organizations compete with each other for power or control.
The race for the White House begins in earnest today.
The race is on to build up membership fast.
Synonyms: contest, competition, quest, rivalry More Synonyms of race
5. See also arms race, rat race
6. variable noun
A race is one of the major groups which human beings can be divided into according to theirphysical features, such as the colour of their skin.
The College welcomes students of all races, faiths, and nationalities.
Discrimination by employers on the grounds of race and nationality was illegal.
Synonyms: people, ethnic group, nation, blood More Synonyms of race
7. See also human race, race relations
8. verb
If you race somewhere, you go there as quickly as possible.
He raced across town to the State House building. [VERB adverb/preposition]
The hares raced away out of sight. [VERB adverb/preposition]
Synonyms: run, fly, career, speed More Synonyms of race
9. verb
If something races towards a particular state or position, it moves very fast towards that state orposition.
Do they realize we are racing towards complete economic collapse? [VERB preposition/adverb]
American economic growth raced ahead. [VERB preposition/adverb]
10. verb
If you race a vehicle or animal, you prepare it for races and make it take part in races.
He still raced sports cars as often as he could. [VERB noun]
11. verb
If your mind races, or if thoughts race through your mind, you think very fast about something, especially when you are in a difficult or dangerous situation.
I made sure I sounded calm but my mind was racing. [VERB]
Already her mind was racing ahead to the hundred and one things she had to do. [VERB adverb/preposition]
Bits and pieces of the past raced through her mind. [VERB adverb/preposition]
12. verb
If your heart races, it beats very quickly because you are excited or afraid.
Her heart raced uncontrollably. [VERB]
Synonyms: pump, pound, hammer, thump More Synonyms of race
13. See also racing
14.
See a race against time
More Synonyms of race
race in British English1
(reɪs)
noun
1.
a contest of speed, as in running, swimming, driving, riding, etc
2.
any competition or rivalry
the race for the White House
3.
rapid or constant onward movement
the race of time
4.
a rapid current of water, esp one through a narrow channel that has a tidal range greater at one end than the other
5.
a channel of a stream, esp one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energy
a mill race
6.
a.
a channel or groove that contains ball bearings or roller bearings or that restrains a sliding component
b.
the inner or outer cylindrical ring in a ball bearing or roller bearing
7. Australian and New Zealand
a narrow passage or enclosure in a sheep yard through which sheep pass individually, as to a sheep dip
8. Australian
a wire tunnel through which footballers pass from the changing room onto a football field
9. New Zealand
a line of containers coupled together, used in mining to transport coal
10. another name for slipstream (sense 1)
11. archaic
the span or course of life
12. not in the race
verb
13.
to engage in a contest of speed with (another)
14.
to engage (oneself or one's representative) in a race, esp as a profession or pastime
to race pigeons
15.
to move or go as fast as possible
16.
to run (an engine, shaft, propeller, etc) or (of an engine, shaft, propeller, etc) to run at high speed, esp after reduction of the load or resistance
Word origin
C13: from Old Norse rās running; related to Old English rǣs attack
race in British English2
(reɪs)
noun
1.
a group of people of common ancestry, distinguished from others by physical characteristics, such as hair type, colour of eyes and skin,stature, etc
2. the human race
3.
a group of animals or plants having common characteristics that distinguish them fromother members of the same species, usually forming a geographically isolated group; subspecies
4.
a group of people sharing the same interests, characteristics, etc
the race of authors
5. play the race card
Word origin
C16: from French, from Italian razza, of uncertain origin
race in British English3
(reɪs)
noun
a ginger root
Word origin
C15: from Old French rais, from Latin rādīx a root
Race in British English
(reɪs)
noun
Cape Race
race in American English1
(reɪs)
noun
1.
a competition of speed in running, skating, riding, etc.
2. [pl.]
a series of such competitions for horses, cars, etc. on a regular course
3.
any contest or competition likened to a race
the race for mayor, a race for power
4.
a steady onward movement or course
5.
the span of life
6.
a.
a swift current of water
b.
the channel for a current of water, esp. one built to use the water industrially
a millrace
7.
a channel or groove for the moving parts of a machine, as the groove for the ballsin a ball bearing
8. Aeronautics
slipstream
verb intransitiveWord forms: raced or ˈracing
9.
to take part in a competition of speed; run a race
10.
to go or move swiftly
11.
to move or revolve so swiftly as to be out of control, because of less resistance or a lighter load
said of machinery
verb transitive
12.
to compete with in a competition of speed
13.
to enter or run (a horse, etc.) in a race
14.
a.
to cause to go swiftly
b.
to cause (an engine) to run at high speed with the drive gears disengaged
Word origin
ME (North) ras(e) < ON rās, a running, rush, akin to OE ræs, swift movement, attack < IE *eras-, to flow, move rapidly < base *er-, *or-, to set in motion > run, orient
race in American English2
(reɪs)
noun
1.
any of the different varieties or populations of human beings distinguished by a) physical traits such as hair, eyes, skin color, body shape, etc.: traditionally, the three primary divisions are Caucasoid, Negroid, and Mongoloid, although many subdivisions of these are also called races b) blood types c) genetic code patterns d) all their inherited characteristics which are unique to their isolated breeding population
2.
a.
the state of belonging to such a population
b.
the qualities, traits, etc. belonging, or supposedly belonging, to such a population
3. Loosely
a.
any geographical population
b.
any population sharing the same activities, habits, ideas, etc.
4.
any group of people having the same ancestry; family; clan; lineage
5. Biology
a.
a subspecies, or variety
b.
breed (sense 8)
6. Rare
distinctive flavor, taste, etc., as of wine
Idioms:
the (human) race
Word origin
Fr < It razza < ?
More idioms containing
race
a one-horse race
a race against time
the rat race
COBUILD Collocations
race
big race
championship race
competitive race
hard race
prestigious race
tight race
tough race
Examples of 'race' in a sentence
race
It is all part of a global race to hand control from drivers to computers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But a casual splash around is unlikely to get the heart racing enough to meet these targets.
The Sun (2016)
But she could well win a group one race.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The much bigger problem is that demand is racing ahead.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Why did these injections coincide with big races?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Perhaps the corridors should be lined with those people who race out with cold wet sponges during marathons?
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
There would be six races, with eight horses in each race.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
My mood was grim, and my mind was racing.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He wasn't disgraced in a better race on faster ground at Chepstow last time.
The Sun (2017)
My team controlled the race all day.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Just the sight of him made my heart race.
The Sun (2008)
People of different races mingle with no discernible separation here.
Christianity Today (2000)
Thoughts and doubts about if the split was the right thing raced round my mind.
The Sun (2011)
The car was built for competition racing as well as for the road.
The Sun (2010)
The purist wants to see drivers race wheel to wheel.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The world has been taken over by giant insects and the human race is under threat.
The Sun (2009)
There is an arms race going on with bike lights at the moment.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Hell hath no fury like those who backed a dead horse in a race.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
These are the group one races in which the best athletes compete.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
She also tries to make a very relevant point about race relations.
The Sun (2009)
Racing another fast guy is not going to affect me.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The race today should be extremely close between the four championship contenders.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
His father designed engines for racing cars and his mother died in a skiing accident.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
No longer is a big race automatically lost through abandonment.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
His wife is due to give birth on the day of the race.
The Sun (2011)
Nor did the clock race ahead elsewhere.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The dance floor is a different place to the race track.
The Sun (2015)
But the race against time is on.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Bet on horse races that have already been run.
The Sun (2011)
She is all races or one.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
So how does Cheltenham and racing build on its success?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
What nationality is the race car Francesco?
The Sun (2011)
Quotations
Say it loud! I'm black and I'm proud!James Brown
No race has the last word on culture and on civilizationMarcus Garveyspeech
In other languages
race
British English: race /reɪs/ NOUN
speed contest A race is a competition to see who is the fastest, for example in running or driving.
...a cycling race.
American English: race contest
Arabic: سِبَاق
Brazilian Portuguese: corrida
Chinese: 赛跑
Croatian: utrka
Czech: závod
Danish: væddeløb
Dutch: ras
European Spanish: carrera deporte
Finnish: nopeuskilpailu
French: course
German: Wettrennen
Greek: κούρσα
Italian: corsa
Japanese: レース 競争
Korean: 경주
Norwegian: kappløp
Polish: wyścig
European Portuguese: corrida
Romanian: competiție
Russian: состязание в беге или в скорост
Latin American Spanish: carrera deporte
Swedish: kapptävling släkte
Thai: การวิ่งแข่ง
Turkish: yarış
Ukrainian: перегони
Vietnamese: cuộc đua
British English: race /reɪs/ NOUN
group of human beings A race is one of the major groups which human beings can be divided into according to their physical features, such as their skin colour.
The college welcomes students of all races.
American English: race origin
Arabic: جَنْس
Brazilian Portuguese: raça
Chinese: 种族
Croatian: rasa
Czech: rasa
Danish: race
Dutch: race afkomst
European Spanish: raza etnia
Finnish: rotu ihmisen
French: race
German: Rasse
Greek: φυλή
Italian: razza
Japanese: 人種
Korean: 인종
Norwegian: rase
Polish: rasa socjologia
European Portuguese: raça
Romanian: rasă
Russian: раса
Latin American Spanish: raza etnia
Swedish: ras släkte
Thai: เชื้อชาติ
Turkish: ırk
Ukrainian: раса
Vietnamese: chủng tộc
British English: race /reɪs/ VERB
If you race, you take part in a race.
`I'll race you to the beach!' he called.
I haven't raced against her this year.
American English: race
Arabic: يَتَسابق
Brazilian Portuguese: competir em corrida
Chinese: 赛跑
Croatian: utrkivati se
Czech: závodit
Danish: deltage i væddeløb
Dutch: rennen
European Spanish: echar una carrera
Finnish: kilpailla
French: faire la course
German: um die Wette laufen
Greek: συμμετέχω σε αγώνα δρόμου
Italian: correre
Japanese: 競争する
Korean: 경주하다
Norwegian: kappes
Polish: ścigać się
European Portuguese: competir em corrida
Romanian: a concura
Russian: состязаться в скорости
Latin American Spanish: echar una carrera
Swedish: tävla
Thai: วิ่งแข่ง
Turkish: yarışmak
Ukrainian: брати участь у перегонах
Vietnamese: đua
All related terms of 'race'
arms race
An arms race is a situation in which two countries or groups of countries are continually trying to get more and better weapons than each other.
ball race
a ball bearing
big race
A race is a competition to see who is the fastest , for example in running, swimming , or driving.
boat race
→ the boat race
Cape Race
a cape at the SE extremity of Newfoundland , Canada
drag race
a type of motor race in which specially built or modified cars or motorcycles are timed over a measured course
flat race
a race over a flat track with no jumps or other obstacles
hard race
A race is a competition to see who is the fastest , for example in running , swimming , or driving.
race car
a car designed to travel at high speed for taking part in motor car races
race card
→ to play the race card
race-fit
(of a person, animal, etc) fit or suitable for racing
race hate
the hate of or bias against people of other races
race off
to entice (a person) away with a view to seduction
race riot
Race riots are violent fights between people of different races living in the same community.
rat race
If you talk about getting out of the rat race , you mean leaving a job or way of life in which people compete aggressively with each other to be successful .
road race
a race on public roads
sack race
a race in which the competitors ' legs and often bodies are enclosed in sacks
tide race
a fast-running tidal current
cycle race
a competitive race between cyclists
horse race
an organized race between jockeys and their mounts
human race
The human race is the same as → mankind .
hurdle race
a race in which people have to jump over a number of obstacles while running
master race
a race, nation , or group, such as the Germans or Nazis as viewed by Hitler , believed to be superior to other races
medley race
a relay race in which each contestant must cover a different distance
mixed race
the fact or state of being born to parents of different races
race music
blues-based music or jazz by and for African-Americans in the 1920s and 1930s, when it was regarded as a distinctive , separate market by the music industry ; early jazz or rhythm-and-blues
relay race
a race between two or more teams of contestants in which each contestant covers a specified portion of the distance
sheep race
a single-file walkway for sheep at the entrance to a sheep-dip
space race
→ the space race
stage race
a cycling race consisting of several separate races over successive days
tight race
A race is a situation in which people or organizations compete with each other for power or control.
tough race
A race is a competition to see who is the fastest , for example in running , swimming , or driving.
track race
an instance of a form of motorcycle racing where teams or individuals race opponents around an oval track
yacht race
a sailing race for yachts
bathtub race
a sailing race between bathtubs fitted with outboard motors
bicycle race
Sport cycling (sense 2 ) Also : bicycle racing
bumping race
(esp at Oxford and Cambridge ) a race in which rowing eights start an equal distance one behind the other and each tries to bump the boat in front
claiming race
a race in which each owner declares beforehand the price at which his or her horse will be offered for sale after the race
distance race
a race of a mile or more
downhill race
a competitive event in which skiers are timed in a downhill run
futurity race
a race for two-year-old horses in which the entries are selected before birth
harness race
a trotting or pacing race for standard-bred horses driven in sulkies and harnessed in a special way to cause them to use the correct gait
hurdles race
a race in which people have to jump over a number of obstacles while running
obstacle race
a race in which competitors have to negotiate various obstacles
race meeting
A race meeting is an occasion when a series of horse races are held at the same place, often during a period of several days.
race walking
the sport of rapid , continuous-foot-contact walking , requiring that the trailing foot not be lifted until the other meets the ground and the knee locks momentarily , and executed in an upright , rhythmic stride with the arms usually held bent and high and pumped close to the body
scratch race
a race in which all contestants start on equal terms
selling race
a horse race in which the winner must be offered for sale at auction
trotting race
a race for standard-bred horses driven in sulkies and harnessed in a special way to cause them to use the correct gait