ride

I. verb (rode or chiefly dialect rid; ridden or chiefly dialect rid or rode; riding) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English rīdan; akin to Old High German rītan to ride, Middle Irish réidid he rides Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. a. to sit and travel on the back of an animal that one directs b. to travel in or on a conveyance 2. to travel as if on a conveyance ; be borne <

rode on a wave of popularity

> 3. a. to lie moored or anchored <

a ship rides at anchor

> b. sail c. to move like a floating object <

the moon rode in the sky

> 4. to become supported on a point or surface 5. a. to travel over a surface <

the car rides well

> b. to move on the body <

shorts that ride up

> 6. to continue without interference <

let it ride

> 7. a. to be contingent ; depend <

plans on which the future rides

> b. to become bet <

a lot of money riding on the favorite

> transitive verb 1. a. to travel on <

ride a bike

> <

ride the bus

> b. to move with like a rider <

ride the waves

> 2. a. to traverse by conveyance <

rode 500 miles

> b. to ride a horse in <

ride a race

> 3. survive, outlast — usually used with out <

rode out the gale

> 4. to traverse on horseback to inspect or maintain <

ride fence

> 5. to mount in copulation — used of a male animal 6. a. obsess, oppress <

ridden by anxiety

> b. to harass persistently ; nag c. tease, rib 7. carry, convey 8. to project over ; overlap 9. to give with (a punch) to soften the impact 10. to keep in partial engagement by resting a foot continuously on the pedal <

ride the brakes

> • rideable also ridable adjective II. noun Date: 1759 1. an act of riding; especially a trip on horseback or by vehicle 2. a way (as a road or path) suitable for riding 3. any of various mechanical devices (as at an amusement park) for riding on 4. a. a trip on which gangsters take a victim to murder him b. something likened to such a trip <

take the taxpayers for a ride

> 5. a means of transportation 6. the qualities of travel comfort in a vehicle