Adjacent Words

Speed definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SPEED, v.i. pret. and pp. sped, speeded. [The L. expedio may be from the same root, which signifies to drive, to hurry, of the family of L. peto.]
1. To make haste; to move with celerity.
2. To have success; to prosper; to succeed; that is, to advance in one's enterprise. He that's once demi'd will hardly speed. Those that profaned and abused the second temple, sped no better.
3. To have any condition good or ill; to fare. Ships heretofore in seas like fishes sped, The mightiest still upon the smallest fed.
SPEED, v.t.
1. TO dispatch; to send away in haste. He sped him thence home to his habitation.
2. To hasten; to hurry; to put in quick motion. -But sped his steps along the hoarse resounding shore.
3. TO hasten to a conclusion; to execute; to dispatch; as, to speed judicial acts.
4. To assist; to help forward; to hasten. -With rising gales that sped their happy flight.
5. To prosper; to cause to succeed. May heaven speed this undertaking.
6. To furnish in haste.
7. To dispatch; to kill; to ruin; to destroy. With a speeding thrust his heart he found. A dire dilemma! either way I'm sped; If foes, they write if friends they read me dead.
Note In the phrase, "God speed," there is probably a gross mistake in considering it as equivalent to "may God give you success." The true phrase is probably "good speed; good, in Saxon, being written god. I bid you or wish you good speed, that is, good success.
SPEED, n.
1. Swiftness; quickness; celerity; applied to animals. We say, a man or a horse runs or travels with speed; a fowl flies with speed. We speak of the speed of a fish in the water, but we do not speak of the speed of a river, or of wind, or of a falling body. I think however I have seen the word applied to the lapse of time and the motion of lightning, but in poetry only.
2. Haste; dispatch; as, to perform a journey with speed; to execute an order with speed.
3. Rapid pace; as a horse of speed. We say also, high speed, full speed.
4. Success; prosperity in an undertaking; favorable issue; that is, advance to the desired end. O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day. Genesis 24. This use is retained in the proverb, "to make more haste than good speed," and in the Scriptural phrase, "to bid one good speed," [Not God speed, as erroneously written.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: distance travelled per unit time [syn: speed, velocity]
2: a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens; "the project advanced with gratifying speed" [syn: speed, swiftness, fastness]
3: changing location rapidly [syn: speed, speeding, hurrying]
4: the ratio of the focal length to the diameter of a (camera) lens system [syn: focal ratio, f number, stop number, speed]
5: a central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression [syn: amphetamine, pep pill, upper, speed] v
1: move fast; "He rushed down the hall to receive his guests"; "The cars raced down the street" [syn: rush, hotfoot, hasten, hie, speed, race, pelt along, rush along, cannonball along, bucket along, belt along, step on it] [ant: dawdle, linger]
2: move faster; "The car accelerated" [syn: accelerate, speed up, speed, quicken] [ant: decelerate, retard, slow, slow down, slow up]
3: move very fast; "The runner zipped past us at breakneck speed" [syn: travel rapidly, speed, hurry, zip]
4: travel at an excessive or illegal velocity; "I got a ticket for speeding"
5: cause to move faster; "He accelerated the car" [syn: accelerate, speed, speed up] [ant: decelerate, slow down]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English spede, from Old English sp?d; akin to Old High German spuot prosperity, speed, Old English sp?wan to succeed, Latin spes hope, Lithuanian sp?ti to be in time Date: before 12th century 1. archaic prosperity in an undertaking ; success 2. a. the act or state of moving swiftly ; swiftness b. rate of motion: as (1) velocity 1 (2) the magnitude of a velocity irrespective of direction c. impetus 3. swiftness or rate of performance or action ; velocity 3a 4. a. the sensitivity of a photographic film, plate, or paper expressed numerically b. the light-gathering power of a lens or optical system c. the time during which a camera shutter is open 5. a transmission gear in automotive vehicles or bicycles — usually used in combination <a ten-speed bicycle> 6. someone or something that appeals to one's taste <just my speed> 7. methamphetamine; also a related stimulant drug and especially an amphetamine Synonyms: see haste • speedster noun II. verb (sped or speeded; speeding) Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. a. archaic to prosper in an undertaking b. archaic get along, fare 2. a. to make haste <sped to her bedside> b. to go or drive at excessive or illegal speed 3. to move, work, or take place faster ; accelerate <the heart speeds up> transitive verb 1. a. archaic to cause or help to prosper ; aid b. to further the success of 2. a. to cause to move quickly ; hasten b. to wish Godspeed to c. to increase the speed of ; accelerate 3. to send out <speed an arrow> • speeder noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 rapidity of movement (with all speed; at full speed). 2 a rate of progress or motion over a distance in time (attains a high speed). 3 a a gear appropriate to a range of speeds of a bicycle. b US or archaic such a gear in a motor vehicle. 4 Photog. a the sensitivity of film to light. b the light-gathering power of a lens. c the duration of an exposure. 5 sl. an amphetamine drug, esp. methamphetamine. 6 archaic success, prosperity (send me good speed). --v. (past and past part. sped) 1 intr. go fast (sped down the street). 2 (past and past part. speeded) a intr. (of a motorist etc.) travel at an illegal or dangerous speed. b tr. regulate the speed of (an engine etc.). c tr. cause (an engine etc.) to go at a fixed speed. 3 tr. send fast or on its way (speed an arrow from the bow). 4 intr. & tr. archaic be or make prosperous or successful (how have you sped?; God speed you!). Phrases and idioms: at speed moving quickly. speed bump (or hump) a transverse ridge in the road to control the speed of vehicles. speed limit the maximum speed at which a road vehicle may legally be driven in a particular area etc. speed merchant colloq. a motorist who enjoys driving fast. speed up move or work at greater speed. speed-up n. an increase in the speed or rate of working. Derivatives: speeder n. Etymology: OE sped, spedan f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Speed Speed, n. [AS. sp?d success, swiftness, from sp?wan to succeed; akin to D. spoedd, OHG. spuot success, spuot to succees, Skr. sph[=a] to increase, grow fat. [root]170b.] 1. Prosperity in an undertaking; favorable issue; success. ``For common speed.'' --Chaucer. O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day. --Gen. xxiv. 12. 2. The act or state of moving swiftly; swiftness; velocity; rapidly; rate of motion; dispatch; as, the speed a horse or a vessel. Speed, to describe whose swiftness number fails. --Milton. Note: In kinematics, speedis sometimes used to denote the amount of velocity without regard to direction of motion, while velocity is not regarded as known unless both the direction and the amount are known. 3. One who, or that which, causes or promotes speed or success. [Obs.] ``Hercules be thy speed!'' --Shak. God speed, Good speed; prosperity. See Godspeed. Speed gauge, Speed indicator, & Speed recorder (Mach.), devices for indicating or recording the rate of a body's motion, as the number of revolutions of a shaft in a given time. Speed lathe (Mach.), a power lathe with a rapidly revolving spindle, for turning small objects, for polishing, etc.; a hand lathe. Speed pulley, a cone pulley with steps. Syn: Haste; swiftness; celerity; quickness; dispatch; expedition; hurry; acceleration. See Haste.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Speed Speed (sp[=e]d), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sped (sp[e^]d), Speeded; p. pr. & vb. n. Speeding.] [AS. sp[=e]dan, fr. sp[=e]d, n.; akin to D. spoeden, G. sich sputen. See Speed, n.] 1. To go; to fare. [Obs.] To warn him now he is too farre sped. --Remedy of Love. 2. To experience in going; to have any condition, good or ill; to fare. --Shak. Ships heretofore in seas like fishes sped; The mightiest still upon the smallest fed. --Waller. 3. To fare well; to have success; to prosper. Save London, and send true lawyers their meed! For whoso wants money with them shall not speed! --Lydgate. I told ye then he should prevail, and speed On his bad errand. --Milton. 4. To make haste; to move with celerity. I have speeded hither with the very extremest inch of possibility. --Shak. 5. To be expedient. [Obs.] --Wyclif (2 Cor. xii. 1.)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Speed Speed, v. t. 1. To cause to be successful, or to prosper; hence, to aid; to favor. ``Fortune speed us!'' --Shak. With rising gales that speed their happy flight. --Dryden. 2. To cause to make haste; to dispatch with celerity; to drive at full speed; hence, to hasten; to hurry. He sped him thence home to his habitation. --Fairfax. 3. To hasten to a conclusion; to expedite. Judicial acts . . . are sped in open court at the instance of one or both of the parties. --Ayliffe. 4. To hurry to destruction; to put an end to; to ruin; to undo. ``Sped with spavins.'' --Shak. A dire dilemma! either way I 'm sped. If foes, they write, if friends, they read, me dead. --Pope. 5. To wish success or god fortune to, in any undertaking, especially in setting out upon a journey. Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest. --Pope. God speed you, them, etc., may God speed you; or, may you have good speed. Syn: To dispatch; hasten; expedite; accelerate; hurry.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(speeds, speeding, sped, speeded) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. Note: The form of the past tense and past participle is 'sped' in meaning 5 but 'speeded' for the phrasal verb. 1. The speed of something is the rate at which it moves or travels. He drove off at high speed... With this type of camera, the shutter speed is fixed... An electrical pulse in a wire travels close to the speed of light... Wind speeds reached force five. N-VAR: with supp 2. 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. = pace N-COUNT: with supp 3. 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. 4. Speed is a very fast rate at which something happens or is done. I was amazed at his speed of working. ...the sheer speed of the unification process. N-UNCOUNT: usu N of n/-ing 5. If you speed somewhere, you move or travel there quickly, usually in a vehicle. Trains will speed through the Channel Tunnel at 186mph... The engine noise rises only slightly as I speed along. = race VERB: V prep/adv, V prep/adv 6. 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: usu cont, V • speeding He was fined for speeding last year. N-UNCOUNT 7. Speed is an illegal drug such as amphetamine which some people take to increase their energy and excitement. (INFORMAL) 8. see also -speed 9. to pick up speed: see pick 10. If you are up to speed, you have all the most recent information that you need about something. A day has been set aside to bring all councillors up to speed on the proposal... Those in charge deluded themselves they were up to speed. PHRASE: oft PHR on n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. 1. Make haste. 2. Succeed, prosper, thrive, flourish. 3. Fare, get on. II. v. a. 1. Despatch, send away quickly, send away in haste. 2. Hasten, expedite, accelerate, hurry, despatch, quicken, urge or press forward, urge or press on. 3. Despatch, execute, carry through. 4. Assist, help, aid, help forward, hasten, advance. 5. Prosper, favor, make successful. 6. Dismiss, take leave of. 7. Despatch, kill, ruin, destroy. III. n. 1. Haste, hurry, despatch, celerity, swiftness, fleetness, velocity, quickness, rapidity, expedition, acceleration. 2. Success, prosperity, good fortune, good luck, favorable issue, event. 3. Impetuosity, headlong violence.

Moby Thesaurus

Benzedrine, Benzedrine pill, C, Dexamyl, Dexamyl pill, Dexedrine, Dexedrine pill, Methedrine, abruptness, accelerate, advance, advantage, aid, air speed, alacrity, amphetamine, amphetamine sulfate, assist, ball the jack, barrel, bat, bolt, boom, boost, bowl along, breeze, breeze along, briskness, brush, bucket, bundle, burn up, bustle, career, celerity, charge, chase, cheer on, clear the way, clip, cocaine, coke, conduce to, contribute to, crowd, crystal, cut along, dart, dextroamphetamine sulfate, dispatch, drive on, ease, egg on, encourage, expedite, expedition, expeditiousness, explain, facilitate, fastness, favor, feverishness, fleet, fleetness, flight, flit, flurry, fly, fly low, foot, football, forward, furiousness, further, gait, go fast, goad on, grease, grease the ways, grease the wheels, ground speed, haste, hasten, hasten on, hastiness, headway, heart, help, help along, hickory, hie on, highball, hound on, hurriedness, hurry, hurry along, hurry on, hurry up, hustle, hustle up, impetuosity, impetuousness, impulsiveness, instantaneousness, jolly bean, knots, legerity, lend wings to, lightning speed, loose, lubricate, make clear, make for, make haste, make knots, make tracks, make way for, methamphetamine hydrochloride, miles per hour, move, nip, oil, open the way, open up, outstrip the wind, pace, pave the way, pep pill, pour it on, precipitance, precipitancy, precipitate, precipitateness, precipitation, precipitousness, prepare the way, press, promote, promptitude, promptness, purple heart, push, push forward, push on, push through, put forward, quicken, quickness, race, railroad through, rapidity, rashness, remove friction, rip, root on, round pace, rpm, run, run interference for, rush, rush along, rustle, scamper, scorch, scramble, scurry, set forward, shake up, shock wave, shoot, simplify, sizzle, skedaddle, skim, smooth, smooth the way, snappiness, snow, soap the ways, sonic barrier, sonic boom, sound barrier, speed along, speed of sound, speed on, speed up, speediness, sprint, spur, spur on, stampede, step on it, step up, stimulant, storm along, streak, suddenness, sweep, swift rate, swiftness, tear, tear along, thunder along, timeliness, unbar, unblock, unclog, unjam, upper, urge, urge on, velocity, whip, whip along, whip on, whisk, whiz, zing, zip, zoom