SPEED


Meaning of SPEED in English

/ spiːd; NAmE / noun , verb

■ noun

RATE OF MOVEMENT / ACTION

1.

[ C , U ] the rate at which sb/sth moves or travels :

He reduced speed and turned sharp left.

The train began to pick up speed (= go faster) .

The car was gathering speed .

a speed of 50 mph / 80 kph

at high / low / full / top speed

at breakneck speed (= fast in a way that is dangerous)

travelling at the speed of light / sound

—see also airspeed , ground speed

2.

[ C , U ] the rate at which sth happens or is done :

the processing speed of the computer

This course is designed so that students can progress at their own speed.

We aim to increase the speed of delivery (= how quickly goods are sent) .

3.

[ U ] the quality of being quick or rapid :

The accident was due to excessive speed.

She was overtaken by the speed of events (= things happened more quickly than she expected) .

( formal )

A car flashed past them at speed (= fast) .

IN PHOTOGRAPHY

4.

[ C ] a measurement of how sensitive film for cameras, etc. is to light

5.

[ C ] the time taken by a camera shutter to open and close :

shutter speeds

ON BICYCLE / CAR

6.

[ C ] (especially in compounds) a gear on a bicycle, in a car, etc. :

a four-speed gearbox

a ten-speed mountain bike

DRUG

7.

[ U ] ( informal ) an illegal amphetamine drug that is taken to give feelings of excitement and energy

IDIOMS

- full speed / steam ahead

- up to speed (on sth)

—more at haste , turn noun

■ verb

( speed·ed , speed·ed

HELP NOTE : In senses 1 and 2 sped is also used for the past tense and past participle.

)

MOVE / HAPPEN QUICKLY

1.

[ v + adv. / prep. ] ( formal ) to move along quickly :

He sped away on his bike.

2.

[ vn + adv. / prep. ] ( formal ) to take sb/sth somewhere very quickly, especially in a vehicle :

The cab speeded them into the centre of the city.

3.

[ vn ] ( formal ) to make sth happen more quickly :

The drugs will speed her recovery.

DRIVE TOO FAST

4.

[ v ] (usually used in the progressive tenses) to drive faster than the speed that is legally allowed :

The police caught him speeding.

PHRASAL VERBS

- speed up | speed sth up

••

WORD ORIGIN

Old English spēd (noun), spēdan (verb), from the Germanic base of Old English spōwan prosper, succeed , a sense reflected in early usage.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.