Definition of race
1 chiefly Scotland : the act of running
2a : a strong or rapid current of water flowing through a narrow channelb : a watercourse used industriallyc : the current flowing in such a course
3a : a set course or duration of timeb : the course of life
4a : a contest of speedb races plural : a meeting in which several races (as for horses) are runc : 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
Explore Merriam-Webster
Origin and Etymology of race
Middle English ras, from Old Norse rās; akin to Old English rǣs rush
race
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
2a : to enter in a raceb : to drive or ride at high speedc : to transport or propel at maximum speed
3 : to speed (an engine) without a working load or with the transmission disengaged
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
Definition of race
1 : a breeding stock of animals
2a : a family, tribe, people, or nation belonging to the same stockb : a class or kind of people unified by shared interests, habits, or characteristics
3a : an actually or potentially interbreeding group within a species; also : a taxonomic category (such as a subspecies) representing such a groupb : breedc : 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
Other Genetics Terms
RACE Defined for English Language Learners
race
Definition of race for English Language Learners
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: to compete in a race
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: to compete in a race against (someone)
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: to drive or ride (something) in a race
RACE Defined for Kids
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
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
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
Learn More about race
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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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