Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - race

~1 n 1 »SPORT« a competition in which each competitor tries to run, drive etc fastest and finish first  (She came fifth in the race. | a swimming race) 2 »PEOPLE« a) one of the main groups that humans can be divided into according to the colour of their skin and other physical features  (people of all races and creeds) b) the fact of belonging to one of these groups  (The law forbids discrimination on the grounds of race or religion. | a person of mixed race) c) a group of people with the same customs, history, language etc  (the Nordic races)  (- see also human race) 3 »GET/DO STH FIRST« C usually singular a situation in which one group of people tries to obtain or achieve something before another group does  (race to do sth)  (the race to develop a nuclear bomb) + for  (an international race for power and prestige) the race is on (=people are competing to do something)  (The race is on to find a cure for AIDS.) 4 »HORSE RACE« the races an occasion when horse races are held  (a day out at the races | Doncaster Races) 5 a race against time an attempt to finish doing something very important fast 6 »ANIMAL/PLANT« technical a type of animal or plant  (- see also arms race)  ( USAGE NOTE: RACE WORD CHOICE race, nation, people, state, tribe A race is a very large group of human beings of the same colour and/or physical type different races and nationalities A nation is a group of people who share the same history and usually a language, and often live in the same area or independent country the Indian nations of North America | the Scottish nation A race or a nation may also be called a people . This is sometimes considered to be a more acceptable word than race the peoples of Asia | the Jewish people A state is either a politically independent country, or one of the political parts that makes up a country the Polish state | the state of California States can often contain people of different races or nations. A tribe is a social group, smaller than a nation, that shares the same customs and usually the same language, and often follows an ancient or traditional way of life the tribes living in the Amazon region ) ~2 v 1 »SPORT« a) to compete against someone or something in a race + agains  (She'll be racing against some of the world's top athletes.) race sb to/back/there  (I'll race you to the end of the road.) b) to use an animal or a vehicle to compete in a race  (Prouteau was racing a Ferrari in the Formula One championships. | young horses that had never been raced) 2 »MOVE QUICKLY« I always + adv/prep, T always + adv/prep to move very quickly or make someone or something move very quickly + out/home/into  (I had to race back home for my umbrella. | race sb to/back/there)  (The sick woman was raced back to the hospital.) 3 »TIME« race by/past if time races by, it passes very quickly  (The seconds went racing past.) 4 »HEART/MIND ETC« if your heart, pulse1 (1), or mind races, it works harder and faster than usual, especially because you are ill or anxious  (My heart started racing at the sound of approaching footsteps.) 5 »ENGINE« if an engine races, it runs too fast