ride

I. ride¹ S2 W2 /raɪd/ BrE AmE verb (past tense rode /rəʊd $ roʊd/, past participle ridden /ˈrɪdn/)
[Word Family: noun: ↑ride, ↑rider, ↑riding, ↑override; verb: ↑ride, ↑override; adjective: ↑overriding]
[Language: Old English; Origin: ridan]
1. ANIMAL [intransitive and transitive] to sit on an animal, especially a horse, and make it move along:
She learned to ride when she was seven.
He was riding a large grey mare.
ride on
She arrived riding on a white horse.
ride away/across/through etc
He rode away across the marshes.
2. BICYCLE/MOTORBIKE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to travel on a bicycle or ↑motorbike:
He had never learned to ride a bicycle.
They mounted their bikes and rode off.
3. VEHICLE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] especially American English to travel in a bus, car, or other vehicle that you are not driving:
We got onto the bus and rode into San Francisco.
ride in
The kids were riding in the back.
ride a bus American English:
Ann rides the bus to work.
► Do not use ride to talk about someone controlling a car or other vehicle. Use drive: the man who was driving the stolen car
4. IN A LIFT [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] American English to travel up or down in a ↑lift
ride up/down
He rode the elevator down to the first floor.
I rode up to the tenth floor.
5. WATER/AIR
a) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to be floating in water or in the air:
The smaller boat was lighter and rode higher in the water.
The moon was riding high in the sky.
There was a large ship riding at anchor in the bay.
b) ride a wave to float on a wave and move forward with it:
surfboarders riding the waves
6. be riding high to feel very happy and confident:
They were still riding high after their election victory.
7. let something ride spoken to take no action about something that is wrong or unpleasant:
What he had said was wrong, and I knew I shouldn’t just let it ride.
8. ride roughshod over something to ignore someone else’s feelings or ideas because you have the power or authority to do this:
The planning authorities should not ride roughshod over the wishes of local people.
9. ANNOY SOMEBODY [transitive] American English spoken to annoy someone by often criticizing them or asking them to do things:
Why are you riding her so hard?
10. ride on sb’s shoulders/back if a child rides on someone’s shoulders or back, they are carried in that way
11. ride a punch/blow to move back slightly when someone hits you, so that you are not hit with so much force:
He managed to ride the punch.
12. be riding for a fall informal to be doing something unwise which could result in failure:
I had a feeling he was riding for a fall, and tried to tell him so.
ride on something phrasal verb
if one thing is riding on another, it depends on it:
He knew he had to win – his reputation was riding on it.
There’s a lot riding on this match.
ride something ↔ out phrasal verb
1. if a ship rides out a storm, it manages to keep floating until the storm has ended
2. if you ride out a difficult situation, you are not badly harmed by it:
Most large companies should be able to ride out the recession.
ride up phrasal verb
if a piece of clothing rides up, it moves upwards so that it is no longer covering your body properly
II. ride² S3 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑ride, ↑rider, ↑riding, ↑override; verb: ↑ride, ↑override; adjective: ↑overriding]
1. CAR/TRAIN ETC a journey in a vehicle, when you are not driving ⇨ lift
ride in
He invited me to go for a ride in his new car.
Can you give me a ride back to town?
Sammy had promised to take me for a ride in his truck.
I managed to get a ride down to the station.
We hitched a ride (=got a free ride from a passing vehicle) into town.
car/bus/train etc ride
A fifteen minute taxi ride will take you to the airport.
a smooth/comfortable/bumpy etc ride
The new model offers a lovely smooth, comfortable ride.
2. HORSE/BICYCLE a journey on a bicycle, a horse, or a similar animal
ride on
Can I have a ride on your bike?
a bike/bicycle ride
Shall we go for a bike ride this afternoon?
3. a rough/easy ride informal if people give someone, especially someone in authority, a rough or an easy ride, they make a situation difficult or easy for them:
Journalists gave the Prime Minister a rough ride at the press conference.
The chairman will face a rough ride from shareholders.
The President will not have an easy ride when he gives his account of events.
4. a bumpy ride informal if something has a bumpy ride, it experiences a lot of problems:
Shares had a bumpy ride yesterday, falling by an average of 15%.
The new bill could be in for a bumpy ride when it is put before parliament.
5. take somebody for a ride spoken to trick someone, especially in order to get money from them:
I’d just begun to realise he was taking me for a ride.
6. come/go along for the ride spoken to join what other people are doing just for pleasure, not because you are seriously interested in it:
A couple of friends had come along for the ride.
7. MACHINE a large machine that people ride on for fun at a ↑fair:
We went on loads of rides.
8. PATH literary a path for riding on a horse in the countryside:
a grassy ride
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ take/have a ride Visitors can take a ride on a steam train.
▪ go for a ride He went for a ride in a private plane piloted by a friend.
▪ give somebody a ride Ellie gave us a ride to school.
▪ get a ride AmE: I left the farm that night, and got a ride into town.
▪ hitch a ride (=get a free ride from a passing vehicle) He hitched a ride to Denver on a truck.
▪ take somebody for a ride Hugh took me for a ride in his new car.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + ride
▪ a car/bus/train etc ride The resort is a short bus ride away from the hotel.
▪ a short/long ride I climbed slowly aboard the bus for the long ride to Hawkesworth.
▪ a smooth/comfortable ride The new suspension produces a smoother ride.
▪ a bumpy ride Part of the flight had been a bumpy ride through a thunderstorm.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ by plane/boat/car/bicycle etc
▪ flight a journey by air: You should check in at the airport two hours before your flight.
▪ voyage /ˈvɔɪ-ɪdʒ/ a long journey over the sea: MacArthur’s epic round-the-world voyage
▪ crossing a short journey by boat from one piece of land to another: A 30-minute ferry crossing takes you to the island.
▪ cruise a journey by boat for pleasure: a Mediterranean cruise | a cruise down the Nile
▪ drive a journey in a car, often for pleasure: The drive through the mountains was absolutely beautiful.
▪ ride a short journey in a car, or on a bicycle or horse: It’s a twenty-minute taxi ride to the station. | a bike ride

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

ride

ride [ride rides rode riding ridden] verb, noun [raɪd] Click to play [raɪd]

verb (rode [rəʊd] ; [roʊd] rid·den [ˈrɪdn] ; [ˈrɪdn] )

HORSE
1. intransitive, transitive to sit on a horse, etc. and control it as it moves
• I learnt to ride as a child.
• + adv./prep. They rode along narrow country lanes.
• He was riding on a large black horse.
• ~ sth She had never ridden a horse before.

• He's ridden six winners so far this year (= in horse racing).

2. go riding (BrE) (NAmE go ˈhorseback riding) intransitive to spend time riding a horse for pleasure

• How often do you go riding?

BICYCLE/MOTORCYCLE

3. transitive, intransitive to sit on and control a bicycle, motorcycle, etc
• ~ sth (+ adv./prep.) The boys were riding their bikes around the streets.
• He rode a Harley Davidson.

• (+ adv./prep.) The ground there is too rough to ride over.

IN VEHICLE

4. intransitive, transitive to travel in a vehicle, especially as a passenger
• (+ adv./prep.) I walked back while the others rode in the car.
• ~ sth (+ adv./prep.) (NAmE) to ride the subway/an elevator, etc.

• She rode the bus to school every day.

ON WATER/AIR

5. intransitive, transitive to float or be supported on water or air
• (+ adv./prep.) We watched the balloon riding high above the fields.
• The ship was riding at anchor in the harbour.
• ~ sth surfers riding the waves

• A large bird was riding the air currents beneath it.

GO THROUGH AREA

6. transitive ~ sth to go through or over an area on a horse, bicycle, etc

• We rode the mountain trails.

CRITICIZE

7. transitive ~ sb (NAmE) to criticize or tease sb in an annoying way

• Why is everybody riding me today?

Word Origin:
Old English rīdan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch rijden and German reiten.
Example Bank:
• At the end of the film they ride off into the sunset.
• They rode hard all night.
• We were riding along a dusty trail.
• riding along a country lane
• riding bareback on a circus horse
• He rides the subway every day.
• The men loaded my stuff onto the pick-up and I rode with them in the cab.
• The widow and children rode in the first car after the coffin.
• You could ride right along the coast by tram.
Idioms: give somebody a an easy ride ▪ go along for the ride ▪ have a an easy ride ▪ let something ride ▪ ride a wave of something ▪ ride herd on somebody ▪ ride shotgun ▪ ride the crest of something ▪ riding for a fall ▪ riding high ▪ take somebody for a ride
Derived: ride on something ▪ ride something out ▪ ride up

noun

IN VEHICLE
1. a short journey in a vehicle, on a bicycle, etc
• a train ride through beautiful countryside
• It's a ten-minute bus ride from here to town.
• Steve gave me a ride on his motorbike.
• We went for a ride on our bikes.

• a bike ride

2. (NAmE) (BrE lift) a free ride in a car, etc. to a place you want to get to
• She hitched a ride to the station.

• We managed to get a ride into town when we missed the bus.

3. the kind of journey you make in a car, etc
• a smooth/comfortable/bumpy, etc. ride

• (figurative) The new legislation faces a bumpy ride (= will meet with opposition and difficulties).

ON HORSE

4. a short journey on a horse, etc
• a pony ride
• The kids had a ride on an elephant at the zoo.

• He goes for a ride most mornings.

AT FUNFAIR

5. a large machine at a funfair or amusement park that you ride on for fun or excitement; an occasion when you go on one of these
• The rides are free.
• a roller coaster ride
more at get, take, etc. a free ride at free _adj.
Word Origin:
Old English rīdan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch rijden and German reiten.
Thesaurus:
ride noun C
• We went for a ride in Jo's new car.
drive • • flight • |BrE lift •
a ride/drive/flight/lift in sth
a ride/drive/flight/lift back/home
take/go on a ride/drive/flight
give sb/hitch a ride/lift
Example Bank:
• He took her for a wild ride on the back of his motorbike.
• He used to get free rides by hiding in the toilet of the train.
• I managed to cadge a ride with a lorry driver.
• I managed to hitch a ride with someone going in my direction.
• I went on every ride in the amusement park.
• It was a bumpy ride along the farm track.
• She's gone for a ride on her bike.
• The day had been a roller-coaster ride of emotions.
• The new legislation did not have a smooth ride through Parliament.
• The new teacher was given a rough ride by the class.
• The rats hitch a free ride on ships.
• The ride from our house to my parents' takes about an hour.
• Visitors can take a ride on a miniature train.
• We have a long ride ahead of us tomorrow.
• We went for a leisurely ride along the canal.
• After a short taxi ride, we were there.
• Have you ever had a ride on a camel?
• I asked if she'd give me a ride on the back of her motorbike.
• I was taking my usual morning ride along the beach.
• It's a pretty long ride from Las Vegas to the coast.
• It's a ten-minute bus ride into town.
• John took me for a ride in his new car.
• The train ride through the mountains was fantastic.

• There were pony rides for the children.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

ride

/raɪd/
(rides, riding, rode, ridden)

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.

1.
When you ride a horse, you sit on it and control its movements.
I saw a girl riding a horse...
Can you ride?...
He was riding on his horse looking for the castle...
They still ride around on horses.
VERB: V n, V, V on n, V adv/prep

2.
When you ride a bicycle or a motorcycle, you sit on it, control it, and travel along on it.
Riding a bike is great exercise...
Two men riding on motorcycles opened fire on him...
He rode to work on a bicycle.
VERB: V n, V on n, V prep/adv

3.
When you ride in a vehicle such as a car, you travel in it.
He prefers travelling on the Tube to riding in a limousine...
I remember the village full of American servicemen riding around in jeeps...
VERB: V in/on n, V adv/prep

4.
A ride is a journey on a horse or bicycle, or in a vehicle.
Would you like to go for a ride?...
N-COUNT

5.
In a fairground, a ride is a large machine that people ride on for fun.
N-COUNT

6.
If you say that one thing is riding on another, you mean that the first thing depends on the second thing.
Billions of pounds are riding on the outcome of the election...
= depend
VERB: oft cont, V on n

7.
see also riding

8.
If you say that someone or something is riding high, you mean that they are popular or successful at the present time.
He was riding high in the public opinion polls...
PHRASE: V inflects, usu cont

9.
If you say that someone faces a rough ride, you mean that things are going to be difficult for them because people will criticize them a lot or treat them badly. (INFORMAL)
The Chancellor could face a rough ride unless the plan works...
PHRASE: usu PHR after v

10.
If you say that someone has been taken for a ride, you mean that they have been deceived or cheated. (INFORMAL)
When he had not returned with my money an hour later I realized that I had been taken for a ride.
PHRASE: V inflects

11.
to ride roughshod over: see roughshod

ride out
If someone rides out a storm or a crisis, they manage to survive a difficult period without suffering serious harm.
The ruling party think they can ride out the political storm...
He has to just ride this out and hope that it turns in his favor.

PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹ride /ˈraɪd/ verb rides; rode /ˈroʊd/; rid·den /ˈrɪdn̩/; rid·ing
1 : to sit on and control the movements of (a horse, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.)

[+ obj]

• She learned how to ride a horse when she was young.
• Most children learn to ride a bicycle at an early age.
• He rides his motorcycle to work every day.

[no obj]

• I never rode on a horse before.
• She got on her bicycle and rode away.
2 a : to travel to a place as a passenger on or in (something that is moving, such as a bus, a train, or an elevator)

[+ obj]

(chiefly US)
• He decided to walk to the movies instead of riding the bus.
• She rides the subway home from school.
• They rode the elevator/escalator to the second floor.

[no obj]

• We rode through the park in a horse-drawn carriage.
• The dog rode in the back of the truck.
• He has never ridden aboard a cruise ship.
b : to go on a mechanical ride at an amusement park or similar place

[no obj]

• We rode on the Ferris wheel.

[+ obj]

• We rode the roller coaster five times.
3 [+ obj] chiefly US : to travel over or on (a road, railway, trail, etc.) in a car, on a train, on a bicycle, etc.
• He spends hours riding the back roads in his truck.
• riding the rails
• We rode the bike trails for hours.
4 [no obj] of a vehicle : to move over the surface of a road in a specified way
• The car rides smoothly/well.
5 [+ obj] : to be supported or carried on (a wave) : to move on (a wave)
• We watched the surfers riding the waves.
6 [+ obj] US informal : to criticize or make jokes about (someone) constantly or frequently in usually a harsh or annoying way
• The fans have been riding him pretty hard.
be riding for a fall informal : to be doing something that is likely to lead to failure or disaster
• They're feeling pretty confident now, but if you ask me, they're riding for a fall.
be riding high informal
1 : to be very happy and excited
• She's riding high [=flying high] after her recent win.
2 : to be very successful
• The company's stock was riding high after the merger.
let (something) ride informal : to allow (something) to go unnoticed : to ignore (something)
• He made a rude remark, but I let it ride.
• You have to let his comment ride.
ride herd on US informal : to keep (someone or something) under close watch or control
• We had to ride herd on them to make sure they completed the work on time.
ride on [phrasal verb] ride on (something or someone)
1 : to depend on (something or someone)
• The future of the company rides on the success of this deal.
• Our hopes are riding on you.
2
✦If you have money riding on something or someone, you have bet money on that thing or person.
• I have a lot of money riding on this game.
• There is a lot of money riding on the outcome of the race.
ride out [phrasal verb] ride (something) out or ride out (something) : to succeed in surviving or getting through (something dangerous or harmful that cannot be stopped or avoided)
• The ship/crew rode out the storm.
• We managed to ride out the stock market downturn.
ride shotgun informal : to ride in the front passenger seat of a vehicle
• You can drive, but only if I can ride shotgun.
ride up [phrasal verb] of clothing : to move up your body as you move
• These jeans keep riding up on me.
• Her skirt rode up when she sat down.