Word: race Part of Speech: verb Etymology: A variant of raze. From Middle English rasen, racen, rase (“to scrape; to shave; to erase; to rend; to cleave; etc”), from Anglo-Norman raser, rasere, rasser, Middle French raser, and Old French raser (“to shave; to demolish”), from Vulgar Latin *raso (“to shave; to scrape”), from Latin rāsus (“scraped; shaved”), the perfect passive participle of rādō (“to scrape, scratch”). Doublet of rash (etymology 2 and etymology 7). Pronunciation: /ɹeɪs/ 1. To sharpen (a grindstone) by scraping its surface. Labels: archaic, transitive Example: Another source of dust arises from the "hanging" and "racing" of the grindstones. […] This is effected by holding a bar of steel against it whilst it is slowly turned, and is known as "racing" the stone. Example: The cracks, owing to the custom of sending the stones with rough surfaces from the quarry, are not so clearly visible until the grinders have 'raced' the stones, or, in other words, smoothed the sides and grinding faces. 2. Alternative spelling of raze. Labels: West-Country, transitive Example: Buckles and agglettes at vnwares, ſhall race his bowe, a thinge both euill for the fight, ⁊ perillous for freatinge. Example: Paine in a horſſes teeth commeth either from pride and corruption of blood, or els from cold rhums, […] the cure is, vvith a ſharp knife to race him alongſt his gummes, cloſe vnder his teeth, both of the inſide and outſide: and then to rubbe them all ouer, either vvith pepper & ſalt vvel mingled together, or vvith claret vvine and pepper heated vpon the fire, […] 3. Alternative spelling of raze. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: For his further ſecuritie he [Don Roderigo] diſarmed his ſubjects; ſuch Caſtles and ſtrengths as hee vvas jealous of vvere raced, […] Example: […] Lyſander the General of the Lacedemonians, […] novv reduces all the Dominions of the Athenians, takes the City, races their VValls, ruins their VVorks, and changes the Form of their Government; […] 4. Alternative spelling of raze. Labels: obsolete, rare, transitive Example: [T]he king purſude / And furrovved through the thickned troopes. As vvhen tvvo chaced Bores / Turne head gainſt kennels of bold hounds, and race vvay through their gores: […] Example: RACER, or ſward-cutter, a cutting implement uſed in racing out or cutting through the ſurface of graſs ſward, dividing it into proper widths, lengths, and thickneſs[…] 5. Alternative spelling of raze. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: Item an old white sattin dublett laced all over with a small silver lace in a worke raced and cutt betweene 6. Alternative spelling of raze. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: This indenture is raced all the worlde may ſe it: Ceſte indenture eſt faulcée tout le monde le peult veoyr. Example: But I vvill take another order novv, / And race th'eternall Regiſter of time: […] 7. Alternative spelling of raze. Labels: also, figuratively, obsolete, transitive Example: The wound alas happe in some other place, / From whence no toole away the skar can race. Example: Thus there he ſtood, vvhyleſt high ouer his head, / There vvritten vvas the purport of his ſin, / In cyphers ſtrange, that fevv could rightly read, / BON FONS: but bon that once had vvritten bin, / VVas raced out, and Mal vvas novv put in. 8. Alternative spelling of raze. Labels: figuratively, obsolete, transitive Example: VVithout reſpect of ſex, degree or age. / He raceth all his foes vvith fire and ſvvord. Example: Ile find a day to maſſacre them all, / And race their faction and their familie, […]