1. A progress; a course; a movement or progression.

2. Esp., swift progress; rapid course; a running. The flight of many birds is swifter than the race of any beasts. Bacon.

3. Hence: The act or process of running in competition; a contest of speed in any way, as in running, riding, driving, skating, rowing, sailing; in the plural, usually, a meeting for contests in the running of horses; as, he attended the races. The race is not to the swift. Eccl. ix. 11. I wield the gauntlet, and I run the race. Pope.

4. Competitive action of any kind, especially when prolonged; hence, career; course of life. My race of glory run, and race of shame. Milton.

5. A strong or rapid current of water, or the channel or passage for such a current; a powerful current or heavy sea, sometimes produced by the meeting of two tides; as, the Portland Race; the Race of Alderney.

6. The current of water that turns a water wheel, or the channel in which it flows; a mill race.

Note: The part of the channel above the wheel is sometimes called the headrace, the part below, the tailrace.

7. (Mach.)

Defn: A channel or guide along which a shuttle is driven back and forth, as in a loom, sewing machine, etc. Race cloth, a cloth worn by horses in racing, having pockets to hold the weights prescribed. — Race course. (a) The path, generally circular or elliptical, over which a race is run. (b) Same as Race way, below. — Race cup, a cup given as a prize to the victor in a race. — Race glass, a kind of field glass. — Race horse. (a) A horse that runs in competition; specifically, a horse bred or kept for running races. (b) A breed of horses remarkable for swiftness in running. (c) (Zoöl.) The steamer duck. (d) (Zoöl.) A mantis. — Race knife, a cutting tool with a blade that is hooked at the point, for marking outlines, on boards or metals, as by a pattern, — used in shipbuilding. — Race saddle, a light saddle used in racing. — Race track. Same as Race course (a), above. — Race way, the canal for the current that drives a water wheel.

RACE
Race, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Raced; p. pr. & vb. n. Racing.]