race (1) — ODE

race1 /reɪs

▸ noun

1 a competition between runners, horses, vehicles, etc. to see which is the fastest in covering a set course:

Hamilton started from pole position and won the race

I won the first 50-lap race.

▪ (the races) a series of races for horses or dogs, held at a fixed time on a set course.

▪ a situation in which individuals or groups compete to be first to achieve a particular objective:

the race for nuclear power.

▪ archaic the course of the sun or moon through the heavens:

the industrious sun already half his race hath run.

2 a strong or rapid current flowing through a narrow channel in the sea or a river:

angling for tuna in turbulent tidal races.

3 a water channel, especially one built to lead water to or from a point where its energy is utilized, as in a mill or mine.

4 a smooth ring-shaped groove or guide in which a ball bearing or roller bearing runs.

5 a fenced passageway in a stockyard through which animals pass singly for branding, loading, washing, etc..

6 (in weaving) the channel along which the shuttle moves.

▸ verb

1 [no object] compete with another or others to see who is fastest at covering a set course or achieving an objective:

the vet took blood samples from the horses before they raced

[with object] two drivers raced each other through a housing estate.

▪ compete regularly in races as a sport or leisure activity:

the next year, he raced again for the team.

▪ [with object] prepare and enter (an animal or vehicle) for races:

he raced his three horses simply for the fun of it.

2 [no object, with adverbial] move or progress swiftly or at full speed:

I raced into the house

the afternoon was racing by

she spoke automatically, while her mind raced ahead figurative.

▪ operate or cause to operate at excessive speed:

[no object] the truck came to rest against a tree with its engine racing

[with object] she'd driven like a madwoman, racing the engine and swerving around corners.

▪ [no object] (of a person's heart or pulse) beat faster than usual because of fear or excitement.

– PHRASES

be at the races (Australian and New Zealand English be in the race) [usually with negative] informal
competing with a chance of success:

they were never quite at the races against Rangers

with you dressed up, none of us others will be in the race.

a race against time
a situation in which something must be done before a particular point in time:

it was a race against time to reach shore before the dinghy sank.

a race to the bottom (also a race for the bottom)
a situation characterized by a progressive lowering or deterioration of standards, especially (in business contexts) as a result of the pressure of competition:

unsustainable tendering practices had created a race to the bottom among contractors.

– ORIGIN Middle 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 century) and ‘channel, path’, i.e. the space traversed (Middle English). The verb dates from the late 17th century.