ride
ride
Pronunciation
/raɪd/.
ride
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
/aɪ/ - diphthong (combining the open front unrounded vowel /a/ and the close front unrounded vowel /ɪ/)
/d/ - voiced alveolar plosive
Word Form Variations
Verb:
Base Form: ride (e.g., "I ride my bike.")
Third-Person Singular Present: rides (e.g., "She rides her horse.")
Present Participle: riding (e.g., "They are riding home.")
Past Simple: rode (e.g., "He rode the bus yesterday.")
Past Participle: ridden (e.g., "I have ridden this roller coaster before.")
Noun:
Singular: ride (e.g., "Let's go for a ride.")
Plural: rides (e.g., "There are many rides at the amusement park.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
1. To be carried or conveyed, especially by a vehicle, animal, or person.
Definition: To sit on, be in, or otherwise be supported by and move with something that is in motion. This often implies control or participation in the movement.
Examples:
"She loves to ride her bicycle through the park."
"Can you ride the bus to work today?"
"The cowboy expertly rode the wild horse."
Synonyms:
General: travel, journey, commute, go, be conveyed, be carried
Specific (animals): mount, bestride
Specific (vehicles): drive (if controlling), operate, pilot
Antonyms:
walk, stroll, hike, trek, stand, stay, dismount (from an animal)
2. To control or manage a situation, often a difficult one, successfully.
Definition: To navigate or cope with a challenging period, event, or set of circumstances, typically by enduring or adapting.
Examples:
"They managed to ride out the storm by staying indoors."
"The company had to ride a wave of economic uncertainty."
"He's been riding high on the success of his new book."
Synonyms:
General: manage, cope with, navigate, weather, endure, overcome, survive, withstand, brave
Figurative: sail through, coast on
Antonyms:
succumb, surrender, give up, fail, collapse, capitulate
3. (Informal) To tease, bother, or make fun of someone, often persistently.
Definition: To subject someone to good-natured or sometimes unwelcome mockery, jokes, or criticism.
Examples:
"His friends always ride him about his terrible singing."
"Don't ride me, I'm trying my best!"
Synonyms:
tease, mock, jibe, taunt, banter, rag, rib, hassle, pester, badger
Antonyms:
praise, compliment, encourage, support, commend, flatter
Noun
1. A journey or trip, especially one made on horseback, by bicycle, or in a vehicle.
Definition: The act of riding, or an instance of being carried or conveyed, typically for pleasure, transport, or sport.
Examples:
"Let's go for a long ride in the countryside."
"The amusement park has many exciting rides."
"Can I catch a ride with you to the station?"
Synonyms:
General: trip, journey, excursion, outing, spin, drive, tour, voyage, passage
Specific: circuit, jaunt, trek
Antonyms:
walk, stroll, hike, standstill, halt, stop
2. A vehicle, especially a car.
Definition: An informal term for a means of transportation, often implying ownership or a particular personal connection.
Examples:
"Nice ride! Is that a new car?"
"He was looking for a new ride for his daily commute."
Synonyms:
car, vehicle, auto, wheels (informal), conveyance, transport, motor
Antonyms:
(No direct antonyms as this refers to a physical object; perhaps "pedestrian transport" or "walking")
Examples of Use
Books:
"Frodo found that the ride was easy, and he was able to rest and even to doze." (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, July 1954)
"He learned to ride a bicycle with an almost professional ease." (F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, April 1925)
Newspapers:
"The city's new bike-share program offers an affordable way to ride across downtown." (The New York Times)
"Investors are bracing for a wild ride as the stock market reacts to the latest economic data." (The Wall Street Journal)
Online Publications:
"Our guide to the best mountain bikes will help you choose your next ride." (OutdoorGearLab.com)
"How to Ride Out the Summer Heat: Tips for Staying Cool." (Healthline.com)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"Get on, we're going for a ride." (Regina George, Mean Girls, April 2004)
"I'm gonna ride 'til I can't no more." (Lil Nas X, "Old Town Road" lyrics, December 2018)
"Experience the thrill of the new roller coaster ride at Universal Studios." (Universal Studios promotional material)
General Public Discourse:
"Anyone need a ride to the airport tomorrow morning?" (Spoken conversation)
"It's been a crazy ride with this project, but we finally finished it." (Team meeting discussion)
"She knows how to ride the waves of change in her career." (Informal discussion)
10 Quotes Using Ride
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep riding." (Albert Einstein)
"Get on, we're going for a ride." (Regina George, Mean Girls)
"It's not about the destination, it's about the ride." (Common saying)
"I like to ride my bicycle, I like to ride my bike." (Queen, "Bicycle Race")
"You can't ride two horses with one behind." (Proverb)
"I'm gonna ride 'til I can't no more." (Lil Nas X, "Old Town Road")
"Take a ride on the wild side." (Lou Reed, "Walk on the Wild Side")
"Let's ride!" (Common catchphrase in action films, e.g., Fast & Furious franchise)
"Never ride a free horse to death." (Proverb)
"It's been a hell of a ride." (Common expression)
Etymology
The word "ride" has a long and interesting history, going all the way back to ancient Germanic languages.
At its very core, "ride" comes from a very old Proto-Germanic word, rīdan, which meant "to be carried, to move, to sit on (a horse)."
When it first appeared in English, in what we now call Old English (around the 8th century), it was rīdan. Its main meaning was "to sit or be carried on a horse" or "to travel on horseback." So, if you were rīdan something, you were on top of it and moving along with it, typically an animal.
Over time, as different ways of moving became common, the meaning of "ride" expanded. When carriages and then bicycles, trains, and cars came along, the word naturally extended to cover being carried by these new "vehicles" as well.
So, in simple terms:
Origin: Ancient Germanic root meaning "to be carried" or "to move while sitting on something."
First English Use (Old English): Primarily meant "to travel on horseback" or "to sit upon a horse and be carried along."
Evolution: The meaning broadened as new forms of transport developed, leading to our modern understanding of "riding" in a car, on a bike, or even on an amusement park ride.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Ride
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using the word "ride":
Ride shotgun: To sit in the front passenger seat of a vehicle.
Ride high: To be very successful or in a strong position.
Ride the wave: To take advantage of a favorable situation or trend.
Ride out (a storm/crisis): To successfully endure or survive a difficult period.
Ride on someone's coattails: To achieve success by associating with someone else who is successful.
Let it ride: To allow a situation to continue without interference, often in gambling to let winnings accumulate.
Take for a ride: To deceive or trick someone; also, literally, to take someone on a journey.
Rough ride: A difficult or challenging experience.
Joyride: A pleasure trip in a vehicle, often taken without the owner's permission.
Ride or die: A person or relationship characterized by extreme loyalty and support, no matter what.
Ride the bench: (Sports) To be a substitute in a game; to not play.
Free ride: Something obtained without effort or cost; an undeserved benefit.
Ride herd on: To supervise or keep control over a group of people or things.
To give someone a ride: To transport someone in a vehicle.
Along for the ride: Participating in an activity without having a specific purpose or stake in the outcome.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of ride from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
