# ride /ˈɹaɪd/ (US) · /ɹˈaɪd/ (UK) Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ride Updated: 2026-06-19 ## Senses ### 1. horse or bicycle verb · CEFR A1 to sit on and control a horse, bicycle, or motorcycle. For teachers: to sit on and control the movement of an animal or a two-wheeled vehicle. Ambitransitive use. - She learned to ride a bike when she was only five years old. - The scouts spent the afternoon riding their horses through the narrow mountain passes before setting up camp. ### 2. passenger in a vehicle verb · CEFR A2 to travel as a passenger in a car, bus, or train. For teachers: to be transported in a vehicle as a passenger. Often used with 'in' or 'on'. - I usually ride the bus to work because parking is too expensive. - During the transit strike, thousands of commuters had to find alternative ways to ride into the city center. ### 3. to depend on verb · CEFR B2 to depend or rely on something for success. For teachers: to depend or rely on a specific factor or outcome. Usually followed by 'on' or 'upon'. - A lot of hopes are riding on the success of this new project. - The company's entire future was riding on the outcome of the merger negotiations, leaving the staff in a state of high anxiety. ### 4. to criticize or nag verb · CEFR C1 · Informal to annoy someone by constantly criticizing them or telling them what to do. For teachers: to harass, nag, or criticize someone persistently. Transitive; informal in register. - My boss has been riding me all week about that report. - The coach continued to ride the players throughout the practice, hoping the pressure would improve their performance before the finals. ### 5. clothing moving up verb · CEFR B2 when a piece of clothing moves up your body and becomes uncomfortable. For teachers: of a garment: to move upward out of its proper position while being worn. Often used with the particle 'up'. - This skirt is too tight and keeps riding up when I walk. - He found the cheap suit uncomfortable, as the jacket sleeves tended to ride up whenever he reached for his briefcase. ### 6. a trip or journey noun · CEFR A2 a journey made on a horse, bike, or in a vehicle. For teachers: an instance of being carried in a vehicle or on an animal. - It is a long bus ride from the airport to the hotel. - The scenic train ride through the Alps offered breathtaking views that justified the high cost of the ticket. ### 7. a free lift noun · CEFR A2 a free trip in someone else's car. For teachers: a journey given to a person in another's vehicle, typically without charge. - Can you give me a ride to the station tomorrow morning? - After his car broke down, he had to ask his neighbor for a ride to the grocery store every Saturday. ### 8. amusement park machine noun · CEFR A2 a large machine at a fair, like a roller coaster, that people sit on for fun. For teachers: a mechanical device or structure at an amusement park or fair designed for entertainment. - The children wanted to go on the water ride at the theme park. - The park's newest ride features a vertical drop that attracts thrill-seekers from across the country. ### 9. a vehicle noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · American English a person's car or other vehicle. For teachers: a person's motor vehicle. Informal register; common in American English. - That is a very cool ride you have parked in the driveway. - He spent most of his weekends cleaning and polishing his ride to ensure it looked perfect for the local car show. ### 10. an attractive person noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Dialect · Slang a person who is very good-looking. For teachers: a person perceived as sexually attractive. Dialectal usage specific to Ireland. - Everyone in the pub thought the new barman was a total ride. - In local slang, she was described as a ride, though the term is rarely used in formal Irish contexts. ### 12. a wild experience noun · CEFR B2 a long and exciting or difficult experience. For teachers: a period of time characterized by intense, fluctuating, or challenging experiences. Figurative use. - The last four years in this job have been quite a ride. - The startup's journey from a garage to a multi-million dollar exit was a wild ride for everyone involved. ## Examples - It is a long ride to the city center. - After the car broke down, my neighbor offered me a ride to the train station so I wouldn't be late. - The amusement park's newest ride features a vertical drop that attracts thrill-seekers from across the country, despite the notoriously long queues during the summer season. --- From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.