/ruyd/ , v. , rode or ( Archaic ) rid; ridden or ( Archaic ) rid; riding; n.
v.i.
1. to sit on and manage a horse or other animal in motion; be carried on the back of an animal.
2. to be borne along on or in a vehicle or other kind of conveyance.
3. to move or float on the water: the surfboarders riding on the crests of the waves.
4. to move along in any way; be carried or supported: He is riding along on his friend's success. Distress is riding among the people.
5. to have a specified character for riding purposes: The car rides smoothly.
6. to be conditioned; depend (usually fol. by on ): All his hopes are riding on getting that promotion.
7. Informal. to continue without interruption or interference: He decided to let the bet ride.
8. to be carried on something, as a litter, a person's shoulders, or the like.
9. to work or move up from the proper place or position (usually fol. by up ): Her skirt rode up above her knees.
10. to extend or project over something, as the edge of one thing over the edge of another thing.
11. to turn or rest on something: the great globe of the world riding on its axis.
12. to appear to float in space, as a heavenly body: A blood-red moon rode in the cloudless sky.
13. to lie at anchor, as a ship.
v.t.
14. to sit on and manage (a horse, bicycle, etc.) so as to be carried along.
15. to sit or move along on (something); be carried or borne along on: The ship rode the waves. We ride a bus.
16. to ride over, along, or through (a road, boundary, region, etc.); traverse.
17. to ridicule or harass persistently: The boys keep riding him about his poor grades.
18. to control, dominate, or tyrannize over: a man ridden by fear; a country that is ridden by a power-mad dictator.
19. to cause to ride.
20. to carry (a person) on something as if on a horse: He rode the child about on his back.
21. to execute by riding: to ride a race.
22. to rest on, esp. by overlapping.
23. to keep (a vessel) at anchor or moored.
24. Jazz. to play improvisations on (a melody).
25. ride down ,
a. to trample or overturn by riding upon or against.
b. to ride up to; overtake; capture: The posse rode down the escaping bank robber.
c. Naut. to bear down upon (a rope of a tackle) with all one's weight.
26. ride for a fall , to conduct oneself so as to invite misfortune or injury.
27. ride herd on . See herd 1 (def. 5).
28. ride out ,
a. to sustain (a gale, storm, etc.) without damage, as while riding at anchor.
b. to sustain or endure successfully.
29. ride the beam , Aeron. to fly along the course indicated by a radio beam.
30. ride shotgun . See shotgun (def. 3).
n.
31. a journey or excursion on a horse, camel, etc., or on or in a vehicle.
32. a means of or arrangement for transportation by motor vehicle: We'll handle rides to be sure everyone gets home quickly.
33. the vehicle used for transportation: I've got to hang up now - my ride's here.
34. a vehicle or device, as a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, or merry-go-round, on which people ride for amusement.
35. a way, road, etc., made esp. for riding.
36. take for a ride , Slang.
a. to murder, esp. by abducting the victim for that purpose.
b. to deceive; trick: It was obvious to everyone but me that I was being taken for a ride.
[ bef. 900; 1915-20 for def. 17; ME riden (v.), OE ridan; c. OFris rida, G reiten, ON ritha; akin to OIr ríad journey (cf. PALFREY, RHEDA). See ROAD ]
Syn. 2. See drive .