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View synonyms for speed

speed

[ speed ]

noun

  1. rapidity in moving, going, traveling, proceeding, or performing; swiftness; celerity: the speed of sound.

    the speed of light;

    the speed of sound.

    Synonyms: fleetness, hurry, expedition, dispatch, alacrity

    Antonyms: slowness

  2. relative rapidity in moving, going, etc.; rate of motion or progress:

    full speed ahead.

    Synonyms: fleetness, hurry, expedition, dispatch, alacrity

  3. full, maximum, or optimum rate of motion:

    The car gets to speed in just nine seconds.

  4. Automotive. a transmission gear ratio.
  5. Photography.
    1. Also called film speed. the sensitivity of a film or paper to light, measured by an ASA or DIN index, which assigns low numbers to slow film and higher numbers to faster film.
    2. Also called shutter speed. the length of time a shutter is opened to expose the film or digital sensor inside the camera to light.
    3. the largest opening at which a lens can be used.
  6. Slang. a stimulating drug, as caffeine, ephedrine, or especially methamphetamine or amphetamine.
  7. Informal. a person or thing that is compatible with or typical of one's ability, personality, desires, etc.:

    My speed is writing postcards on the porch while everyone else is tearing around the tennis court.

  8. Archaic. success or prosperity.

verb (used with object)

, sped [sped] or speed·ed, speed·ing.
  1. to promote the success of (an affair, undertaking, etc.); further, forward, or expedite.

    Synonyms: favor, facilitate, advance

  2. to direct (the steps, course, way, etc.) with speed.
  3. to increase the rate of speed of (usually followed by up ):

    to speed up industrial production.

    Synonyms: accelerate

  4. to bring to a particular speed, as a machine.
  5. to cause to move, go, or proceed with speed.
  6. to expedite the going of:

    to speed the parting guest.

  7. Archaic. to cause to succeed or prosper.

verb (used without object)

, sped [sped] or speed·ed, speed·ing.
  1. to move, go, pass, or proceed with speed or rapidity.
  2. to drive a vehicle at a rate that exceeds the legally established maximum:

    He was arrested for speeding.

  3. to increase the rate of speed or progress (usually followed by up ).
  4. to get on or fare in a specified or particular manner.
  5. Archaic. to succeed or prosper.

speed

/ spiːd /

noun

  1. the act or quality of acting or moving fast; rapidity
  2. the rate at which something moves, is done, or acts
  3. physics a scalar measure of the rate of movement of a body expressed either as the distance travelled divided by the time taken ( average speed ) or the rate of change of position with respect to time at a particular point ( instantaneous speed ). It is measured in metres per second, miles per hour, etc
  4. a rate of rotation, usually expressed in revolutions per unit time
    1. a gear ratio in a motor vehicle, bicycle, etc
    2. ( in combination )

      a three-speed gear

  6. See ISO rating
    photog a numerical expression of the sensitivity to light of a particular type of film, paper, or plate See also ISO rating
  7. photog a measure of the ability of a lens to pass light from an object to the image position, determined by the aperture and also the transmitting power of the lens. It increases as the f-number is decreased and vice versa
  8. See amphetamine
    a slang word for amphetamine
  9. archaic.
    prosperity or success
  10. at speed
    at speed quickly
  11. up to speed
    up to speed
    1. operating at an acceptable or competitive level
    2. in possession of all the relevant or necessary information

verb

  1. to move or go or cause to move or go quickly
  2. intr to drive (a motor vehicle) at a high speed, esp above legal limits
  3. tr to help further the success or completion of
  4. slang.
    intr to take or be under the influence of amphetamines
  5. intr to operate or run at a high speed
  6. archaic.
    1. intr to prosper or succeed
    2. tr to wish success to

speed

/ spēd /

  1. The ratio of the distance traveled by an object (regardless of its direction) to the time required to travel that distance.
  2. Compare velocity

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Derived Forms

  • ˈspeeder, noun

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Other Words From

  • speedful adjective
  • speedful·ly adverb
  • speedful·ness noun
  • speeding·ly adverb
  • speeding·ness noun
  • speedless adjective
  • multi·speed adjective
  • outspeed verb (used with object) outsped or outspeeded outspeeding
  • over·speed verb oversped or overspeeded overspeeding

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Word History and Origins

Origin of speed1

First recorded before 900; 1965–70 speed fordef 6; (noun) Middle English spede “good luck, prosperity, rapidity,” Old English spēd; cognate with Dutch spoed, Old High German spōt; akin to Old English spōwan “to prosper, succeed”; (verb) Middle English speden “to succeed, prosper, go with speed,” Old English spēdan “to succeed, prosper”; cognate with Old Saxon spōdian, Old High German spuoten

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Word History and Origins

Origin of speed1

Old English spēd (originally in the sense: success); related to spōwan to succeed, Latin spēs hope, Old Slavonic spěti to be lucky

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. at full / top speed,
    1. at the greatest speed possible:

      We drove down the highway at full speed.

    2. to the maximum of one's capabilities; with great rapidity:

      He worked at full speed.

  2. up to speed,
    1. operating at full or optimum speed.
    2. functioning or producing at an expected, acceptable, or competitive level; up to par:

      a new firm not yet up to speed.

More idioms and phrases containing speed

In addition to the idiom beginning with speed , also see full speed ahead ; up to par (speed) .

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Synonym Study

Speed, velocity, quickness, rapidity, celerity, haste refer to swift or energetic movement or operation. Speed (originally prosperity or success) may apply to human or nonhuman activity and emphasizes the rate in time at which something travels or operates: the speed of light, of a lens, of an automobile, of thought. Velocity, a more learned or technical term, is sometimes interchangeable with speed : the velocity of light; it is commonly used to refer to high rates of speed, linear or circular: velocity of a projectile. Quickness, a native word, and rapidity, a synonym of Latin origin, suggest speed of movement or operation on a small or subordinate scale; quickness applies more to people ( quickness of mind, of perception, of bodily movement ), rapidity more to things, often in a technical or mechanical context: the rapidity of moving parts; a lens of great rapidity. Celerity, a somewhat literary synonym of Latin origin, refers usually to human movement or operation and emphasizes expedition, dispatch, or economy in an activity: the celerity of his response. Haste refers to the energetic activity of human beings under stress; it often suggests lack of opportunity for care or thought: to marry in haste; a report prepared in haste. See rush 1.

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Example Sentences

Since then, total hours worked have rebounded at exactly the same speed.

From Quartz

The discovery of this phenomenon, which theorists called universality, was as bizarre as finding that elephants and egrets move at precisely the same top speed.

Added to which, a page that’s been properly optimized for speed might not need AMP for those speed gains, as well.

You can coach sharpness within speeds, so that means how you start, how you push off and how you maintain your sprint speed by the technique that you use.

As the next flare runs into the protons released by the previous flare, it would accelerate protons and electrons in the same direction at the same speeds.

Term limits could be a prescription to speed change along.

He felt his body grow limp (like one of those high-speed films of a flower wilting).

The jet engine instantly brought two advances over propellers: it doubled the speed and it was far more reliable.

One report has the AirAsia Airbus flying at a speed very close to what would trigger a low speed stall.

Authorities blame anarchists protesting a proposed high-speed rail line called TAV that will link Turin and Lyon, France.

Really, he had made astonishing speed for one who had tunnelled his way underp.

A long stretch of smooth ice followed, over which he glided with ever-increasing speed.

Never again would he sit behind that wheel rejoicing in the insolence of speed.

In fact, his appearance was so formidable that Davy did not pause for a second look, but started off at the top of his speed.

And the girl, scarce believing her good fortune, departed with a speed that bordered on the ludicrous.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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