speed
speed
(spiːd )Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense speeds , present participle speeding , past tense, past participle sped , past tense, past participle speeded language note: The form of the past tense and past participle is sped in meaning [sense 5] but speeded for the phrasal verb.
1. variable noun
2. countable noun
The speed of something is the rate at which it happens or is done.
In the late 1850s the speed of technological change quickened.
Each learner can proceed at his own speed.
3. uncountable noun
Speed is very fast movement or travel.
Speed is the essential ingredient of all athletics.
He put on a burst of speed.
The car is quite noisy at speed.
velocity, swiftness, acceleration, precipitation, rapidity, quickness, fastness, briskness, speediness, precipitateness4. uncountable noun
Speed is a very fast rate at which something happens or is done.
I was amazed at his speed of working. [+ of]
...the sheer speed of the unification process. [+ of]
swiftness, rush, hurry, expedition, haste, rapidity, quickness, fleetness, celerity [formal]5. verb
If you speed somewhere, you move or travel there quickly, usually in a vehicle.
Trains will speed through the Channel Tunnel at 186mph. [VERB preposition/adverb]
The engine noise rises only slightly as I speed along. [VERB preposition/adverb]
race, rush, hurry, zoom, career, bomb (along), tear, flash, belt (along) [slang], barrel (along) [informal, mainly US, Canadian], sprint, gallop, hasten, press on, quicken, lose no time, get a move on [informal], burn rubber [informal], bowl along, put your foot down [informal], step on it [informal], make haste, go hell for leather [informal], exceed the speed limit, go like a bomb [British, New Zealand, informal], go like the wind, go like a bat out of hell6. verb [usually cont]
Someone who is speeding is driving a vehicle faster than the legal speed limit.
This man was not qualified to drive and was speeding. [VERB]
exceed the speed limit, drive too fast, break the speed limitspeeding uncountable noun
He was fined for speeding last year.
7. uncountable noun
Speed is an illegal drug such as amphetamine which some people take to increase their energy and excitement.
[informal]8. See also -speed
9. pick up speed
10.
Phrasal verbs:
