race
noun OPAL W
/reɪs/
/reɪs/
Idioms - [countable] a competition between people, animals, vehicles, etc. to see which one is the faster or fastest
- a boat/horse race
- a five-kilometre road race
- Who won the race?
- Shall we have a race to the end of the beach?
- She ran a good race to finish second.
- race between A and B a race between the two best runners of the club
- race against somebody He's already in training for the big race against Bailey.
- in a race Their horse came third in the race last year.
Extra ExamplesTopics Sports: other sportsa2- He dropped out of the race with a pulled muscle after two laps.
- He was paid $10 000 to throw the race.
- I was leading the race until the half-way point.
- I'm not in this race.
- Let's have a race!
- People are saying that the race was fixed.
- She had to pull out of the race at the last minute.
- She has won the race for the last five years.
- The horse was withdrawn from today's race meeting with an injured leg.
- There is a rumour that the race was fixed.
- a race over two miles
- the University Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge
- the race against the Danish team
- He took part in a 10-mile road race at the weekend.
- He was injured in a fall at a US race meeting a fortnight ago.
- He won the 20th stage of the Tour of Spain cycle race yesterday.
- I bet I'd win a race between the two of us!
- It's a desperately close race, but I think Martinez is just ahead.
- The Kenyan took the women's race comfortably.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- close
- tight
- …
- have
- hold
- organize
- …
- be held
- be run
- take place
- …
- meet
- meeting
- winner
- …
- in a/the race
- out of a/the race
- race against
- …
- [singular] a situation in which a number of people, groups, organizations, etc. are competing, especially for political power or to achieve something first
- race for something Who will win the race for the White House?
- race to do something The race is on (= has begun) to find a cure for the disease.
- race between A and B The 1960 election was a close race between Nixon and Kennedy.
- race against somebody She is in a tight race against her Republican opponent.
- in a race He has taken a lead in the presidential race.
- This week she dropped out of the leadership race.
Extra ExamplesTopics Successb2- The rival TV companies are in a race to bring out the first film drama of his life.
- a race between the developing countries
- the race for nuclear supremacy
- Two right-wing candidates lead the presidential race.
- We need to halt the nuclear arms race between these countries.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- close
- tight
- two-horse
- …
- be in
- be involved in
- join
- …
- in a/the race
- race between
- race for
- …
- the races[plural] a series of horse races that happen at one place on a particular day
- to go to the races
- We had a great day at the races.
- [countable, uncountable] one of the main groups that humans can be divided into according to their physical differences, for example the colour of their skin; the fact of belonging to one of these groups
- This custom is found in people of all races throughout the world.
- people of mixed race
- legislation against discrimination on the grounds of race or gender
- Race is a major issue in this election.
- Her poetry explores questions of race and identity.
Collocations Race and immigrationRace and immigrationPrejudice and racism- experience/encounter racism/discrimination/prejudice/anti-semitism
- face/suffer persecution/discrimination
- fear/escape from/flee racial/political/religious persecution
- constitute/be a form of racial/race discrimination
- reflect/reveal/show/have a racial/cultural bias
- be biased/be prejudiced against (especially British English) black people/(both especially North American English) people of color/African Americans/Asians/Africans/Indians, etc.
- discriminate against minority groups/minorities
- perpetuate/conform to/fit/defy a common/popular/traditional/negative stereotype
- overcome/be blinded by deep-seated/racial/(especially North American English) race prejudice
- entrench/perpetuate racist attitudes
- hurl/shout (especially British English) racist abuse; (especially North American English) a racist/racial/ethnic slur
- challenge/confront racism/discrimination/prejudice
- combat/fight (against)/tackle blatant/overt/covert/subtle/institutional/systemic racism
- damage/improve (especially British English) race relations
- practise (racial/religious) tolerance/segregation
- bridge/break down/transcend cultural/racial barriers
- encourage/promote social integration
- outlaw/end discrimination/slavery/segregation
- promote/embrace/celebrate cultural diversity
- conform to/challenge/violate (accepted/established/prevailing/dominant) social/cultural norms
- live in a multicultural society
- attack/criticize multiculturalism
- fight for/struggle for/promote racial equality
- perpetuate/reinforce economic and social inequality
- introduce/be for/be against (British English) positive discrimination/(especially North American English) affirmative action
- support/be active in/play a leading role in the civil rights movement
- control/restrict/limit/encourage immigration
- attract/draw a wave of immigrants
- assist/welcome refugees
- house/shelter refugees and asylum seekers
- smuggle illegal immigrants into the UK
- deport/repatriate illegal immigrants/failed asylum seekers
- assimilate/integrate new immigrants
- employ/hire migrant workers
- exploit/rely on (cheap/illegal) immigrant labour
- apply for/gain/obtain/be granted/be denied (full) citizenship
- have/hold dual citizenship
Wordfinder- bias
- discriminate
- equal
- feminism
- homophobia
- human right
- marginalize
- persecute
- race
- society
Extra ExamplesTopics People in societyb1- We can all work together, regardless of race.
- children from all races and religions
- greater understanding between nations and races
- people of different races and cultures
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- human
- alien
- mixed
- …
- relations
- equality
- discrimination
- …
- among races
- between races
- from a race
- …
- on the basis of race
- on (the) grounds of race
- [countable] a group of people who share the same language, history, culture, etc.
- the Nordic races
- He admired Canadians as a hardy and determined race.
Extra Examples- Evidence suggests they were a race of nomadic hunters.
- Historically, we tend to view the Vikings as a warlike race.
- The Amazons were a race of female warriors.
- The disease is more common among European races.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- human
- alien
- mixed
- …
- relations
- equality
- discrimination
- …
- among races
- between races
- from a race
- …
- on the basis of race
- on (the) grounds of race
- [countable] a breed or type of animal or plant
- a race of cattle
competition
for horses
people
animals/plants
Word Originnoun senses 1 to 3 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. noun senses 4 to 6 early 16th cent. (denoting a group with common features): via French from Italian razza, of unknown ultimate origin.
Idioms
have a dog in the fight
(North American English also have a dog in the race/hunt)
- (informal) to be involved in a situation so that you will gain or lose according to the result
- I really don't have a dog in this fight, so I can just enjoy the game.
- The employees have a dog in the hunt, so their views should be listened to.
a one, two, three, etc. horse race
- a competition or an election in which there are only one, two, etc. teams or candidates with a chance of winning
- The women’s competition was a two horse race between last year’s winners Surrey and the previous champions Essex.
a race against time/the clock
- a situation in which you have to do something or finish something very fast before it is too late
- Getting food to the starving refugees is now a race against time.
race to the bottom (economics)
- a situation in which companies and countries compete with each other to produce goods as cheaply as possible by paying low wages and giving workers poor conditions and few rights
- They are caught in the cheap food syndrome, the race to the bottom, the chase for the lowest cost of production globally.