ride

verb

/raɪd/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they ride	/raɪd/ /raɪd/
he / she / it rides	/raɪdz/ /raɪdz/
past simple rode	/rəʊd/ /rəʊd/
past participle ridden	/ˈrɪdn/ /ˈrɪdn/
-ing form riding	/ˈraɪdɪŋ/ /ˈraɪdɪŋ/

Idioms Phrasal Verbs

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horse

[intransitive, transitive] to sit on an animal, especially a horse, and control it as it moves

I learnt to ride as a child.
+ adv./prep. They rode along narrow country lanes.
He was riding on a large black horse.
He rode fifty miles on horseback.
ride something to ride a horse
to ride a pony/ donkey/camel
She had never ridden a horse before.
He's ridden six winners so far this year (= in horse racing).

Homophones road | rode | rowedroad rode rowed

/rəʊd/

road noun
- Follow the road around to the left.
rode verb (past tense of ride)
- I rode a camel when I was on holiday.
rowed verb (past tense of row1)
- She took the oars and rowed quickly down the river.

Extra Examples

At the end of the film they ride off into the sunset.
They rode hard all night.
We were riding along a dusty trail.
riding bareback on a circus horse

Topics Sports: other sportsa1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

fast
hard
slowly
…

verb + ride

learn to
teach somebody to
teach somebody how to
…

preposition

along
down
from
…

phrases

go horseback riding
go riding

See full entry

go riding

(British English)

(North American English go horseback riding)

[intransitive] to spend time riding a horse for pleasure

How often do you go riding?

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

fast
hard
slowly
…

verb + ride

learn to
teach somebody to
teach somebody how to
…

preposition

along
down
from
…

phrases

go horseback riding
go riding

See full entry

bicycle/motorcycle

[transitive, intransitive] to sit on and control a bicycle, motorcycle, etc.

ride something + adv./prep. The boys were riding their bikes around the streets.
ride something He rode a Harley Davidson.
It 's like riding a bicycle: one day you can't and the next day you can.
+ adv./prep. The ground there is too rough to ride over.

Wordfinder

back-pedal
cycling
dismount
handlebar
pedal
ride
saddle
speed
tandem
velodrome

Topics Sports: other sportsa1

in vehicle

[intransitive, transitive] to travel in a vehicle, especially as a passenger

+ adv./prep. I walked back while the others rode in the car.
ride something (North American English) to ride a train/the subway/an elevator
ride something + adv./prep. (North American English) She rode the bus to school every day.

on water/air

[intransitive, transitive] to float or be supported on water or air

(+ adv./prep.) We watched the balloon riding high above the fields.
The ship was riding at anchor in the harbour.
ride something surfers riding the waves
A large bird was riding the air currents beneath it.

go through area

[transitive] ride something to go through or over an area on a horse, bicycle, etc.

We rode the mountain trails.

criticize

[transitive] ride somebody (North American English) to criticize or tease somebody in an annoying way

Why is everybody riding me today?

Word OriginOld English rīdan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch rijden and German reiten.

Idioms

be riding for a fall

to be doing something that involves risks and that may end in disaster

be riding high

to be successful or very confident
- The company is riding high this year.
Topics Successc2

if wishes were horses, beggars would/might ride

(saying) wishing for something does not make it happen

let something ride

to decide to do nothing about a problem that you know you may have to deal with later
- He was rude to me but I let it ride this time.

ride the crest of something

to enjoy great success or support because of a particular situation or event
- The band is riding the crest of its last tour.
Topics Successc2

ride herd on somebody/something

(North American English, informal) to keep watch or control over somebody/something
- police riding herd on crowds of youths on the streets

ride, etc. roughshod over somebody (especially British English)

(North American English usually run roughshod over somebody)

to treat somebody badly and not worry about their feelings

ride shotgun

(especially North American English, informal) to ride in the front passenger seat of a car or truck

ride a/the wave of something

to enjoy or be supported by the particular situation or quality mentioned
- Schools are riding a wave of renewed public interest.

ride

noun

/raɪd/

Idioms

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in vehicle

a short journey in a vehicle, on a bicycle, etc.

a train ride through beautiful countryside
It's a ten-minute bus ride from here to town.
Steve gave me a ride on his motorbike.
We went for a ride on our bikes.
Visitors can take a ride on a miniature train.
a bike/boat/taxi ride

Extra Examples

She's gone for a ride on her bike.
The ride from our house to my parents' takes about an hour.
After a short taxi ride, we were there.
I asked if she'd give me a ride on the back of her motorbike.
John took me for a ride in his new car.
The train ride through the mountains was fantastic.

Topics Sports: other sportsa2

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

long
short
leisurely
…

verb + ride

have
take
go for
…

preposition

ride from
ride to

See full entry

(North American English)

(British English lift)

a free ride in a car, etc. to a place you want to get to

She hitched a ride to the station.
We managed to get a ride into town when we missed the bus.
He offered to give her a ride home.

Extra Examples

He used to get free rides by hiding in the toilet of the train.
I managed to cadge a ride with a lorry driver.
I managed to hitch a ride with someone going in my direction.
The rats hitch a free ride on ships.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

free

verb + ride

get
ask for
bum
…

phrases

a ride back
a ride home

See full entry

the kind of journey you make in a car, etc.

a smooth/comfortable/bumpy ride
(figurative) The new legislation faces a bumpy ride (= will meet with opposition and difficulties).

Extra Examples

We have a long ride ahead of us tomorrow.
It was a bumpy ride along the farm track.
The new legislation did not have a smooth ride through Parliament.
He took her for a wild ride on the back of his motorbike.
It's a pretty long ride from Las Vegas to the coast.
We went for a leisurely ride along the canal.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

long
short
leisurely
…

verb + ride

have
take
go for
…

preposition

ride from
ride to

See full entry

on horse

a short journey on a horse, etc.

There were pony rides for the children.
The kids had a ride on an elephant at the zoo.
He goes for a ride most mornings.

Extra Examples

Have you ever had a ride on a camel?
I was taking my usual morning ride along the beach.

Topics Sports: other sportsa2

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

long
short
leisurely
…

verb + ride

have
take
go for
…

preposition

ride from
ride to

See full entry

at funfair

a large machine at a funfair or amusement park that you ride on for fun or excitement; an occasion when you go on one of these

The rides are free.
The day had been a roller-coaster ride of emotions.
I went on every ride in the amusement park.

see also thrill ride, white-knuckle ride

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

amusement
amusement-park
carnival
…

verb + ride

go on

See full entry

Word OriginOld English rīdan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch rijden and German reiten.

Idioms

come/go along for the ride

(informal) to join in an activity for pleasure but without being seriously interested in it

get, take, etc. a free ride

to get or take something without paying because somebody else is paying for it

have a rough/an easy ride | give somebody a rough/an easy ride

(informal) to experience/not experience difficulties when you are doing something; to make things difficult/easy for somebody
- He will be given a rough ride at the party conference.
- The new teacher was given a rough ride by the class.

take somebody for a ride

(informal) to cheat or trick somebody
- It's not a pleasant feeling to discover you've been taken for a ride by someone you trusted.