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.
The part of the channel above the wheel is sometimes called the
headrace, the part below, the tailrace.
7. (Mach.) 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, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Raced (rst); p. pr. & vb. n. Racing (r"sng).]
1. To run swiftly; to contend in a race; as, the animals raced over the
ground; the ships raced from port to port.
2. (Steam Mach.) To run too fast at times, as a marine engine or screw,
when the screw is lifted out of water by the action of a heavy sea.
Race, v. t. 1. To cause to contend in a race; to drive at high speed;
as, to race horses.