speed
Forms
- Plural
- speeds
- present (v1)
- speed
- past (v2)
- sped
- past participle (v3)
- sped
- present participle
- speeding
- 3rd person singular
- speeds
Definitions
1.The state of moving quickly or the capacity for rapid motion.
- How does Usain Bolt run at that speed?
2.The rate of motion or action, specifically the magnitude of the velocity; the rate distance is traversed in a given time.
- Speed limits provide information to the drivers about the safe speed to travel in average conditions.
- Train positions and speeds were established by a track magnet at each milepost, which produced a suitable mark on the punched recording tape whenever a train passed.
3.The sensitivity to light of film, plates or sensor.
4.The duration of exposure, the time during which a camera shutter is open (shutter speed).
1.To go fast.
- The Ferrari was speeding along the road.
- I have speeded hither with the very extremest inch of possibility.
- With a little manœuvring they contrived to meet on the doorstep which was […] in a boiling stream of passers-by, hurrying business people speeding past in a flurry of fumes and dust in the bright haze.
2.To increase the rate at which something occurs.
- It is possible that the uterine contractions speed the sperm along.
- Such interventions can help to speed the process of reducing CBRs and help countries pass through the demographic transition threshold more quickly[…].
3.To exceed the speed limit.
- Why do you speed when the road is so icy?
- It had these very funny, crazy plays in it, and then it had this one story about a traffic cop that falls in love with this very cute girl that’s always speeding.
1.Called by the soundman when the recording equipment has reached running speed and is ready to go.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1505
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English sped (“prosperity, good luck, quickness, success”), from Old English spēd (“success”), from Proto-West Germanic *spōdi (“prosperity, success”), from Proto-West Germanic *spōan, from Proto-Germanic *spōaną (“to prosper, succeed, be happy”), from Proto-Indo-European *speh₁- (“to prosper, turn out well”).