to hold someone closely in your arms to show love, friendship, or comfort
After winning the match, the two teammates embraced with big smiles.
At the school gate, the mother bent down and embraced her little child.
a competition to see who can finish first, usually by moving the fastest
Sam won the 100-meter race at school today.
Hundreds of runners entered the city’s charity race last weekend.
✦ From Old French “race” (swift running), from Italian “razza” (root uncertain).
to take part in a competition of speed
Ella plans to race in the city marathon this Sunday.
The two sailboats raced across the bay, their sails full of wind.
✦ Verb use recorded from late Middle English, derived from the noun sense ‘contest of speed’.
a large group of people who share inherited physical traits and often a common culture or history
The census asks citizens to state their race as well as their age.
People of every race attended the festival to celebrate cultural diversity.
✦ Sense of ‘people of common stock’ arose in the mid-16th century, probably from French “race” meaning ‘breed’ or ‘lineage’.
to move or cause to move very fast
My heart raced when the roller coaster dropped.
Firefighters raced to the burning building within minutes.
✦ Figurative sense of quick movement developed alongside sporting use in the 17th century.
an intense effort by people, companies, or nations to be the first to achieve something
There is a global race to develop cleaner energy technologies.
The arms race between the two countries worried the international community.
✦ Extended figurative use dating from the late 19th century, influenced by sporting sense.
a short prayer of thanks said before or after a meal
The family bowed their heads to say grace before dinner.
Grandpa volunteered to say grace at Thanksgiving.
✦ Sense developed in late Middle English from earlier meaning of divine favor.
to copy a drawing or design by following its lines with a pen or pencil placed over it
The art student traced the image onto thin paper.
Children love to trace their hands and color the shapes.
a very small amount of something, almost too small to notice
The soup had only a trace of salt, so it tasted bland.
Scientists found a trace of water on the planet's surface.
to find someone or something by following clues or their movements
Detectives are trying to trace the stolen painting.
She quickly traced her phone using a locator app.
