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speed
speed / spēd/ • n. 1. rapidity of movement or action: the accident was due to excessive speed| fig. they were bemused by the speed of events. ∎ the rate at which someone or something is able to move or operate: the car has a top speed of 147 mph. ∎ each of the possible gear ratios of a bicycle or motor vehicle. ∎ the sensitivity of photographic film to light. ∎ the light-gathering power or f-number of a camera lens. ∎ the duration of a photographic exposure. 2. inf. an amphetamine drug, esp. methamphetamine. 3. inf. something that matches one's tastes or inclinations: oak tables and chairs are more his speed. 4. archaic success; prosperity: wish me good speed. • v. (past sped / sped/ or speed·ed ) 1. [intr.] move quickly: I got into the car and home we sped. ∎ [intr.] (of a motorist) travel at a speed that is greater than the legal limit: the car that crashed was speeding. ∎ (speed up) move or work more quickly: you force yourself to speed up because you don't want to keep others waiting. ∎ [tr.] cause to move, act, or happen more quickly: recent initiatives have sought to speed up decision-making. 2. [tr.] archaic make prosperous or successful: may God speed you. 3. [intr.] inf. take or be under the influence of an amphetamine drug: more kids than ever are speeding, tripping, and getting stoned. PHRASES: at speed quickly: a car flashed past them at speed. up to speed operating at full speed. ∎ (of a person or company) performing at an anticipated rate or level. ∎ (of a person) fully informed or up to date: that reminds me to bring you up to speed on the soap opera. DERIVATIVES: speed·er n. |
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Cite this article
"speed." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "speed." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-speed.html "speed." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-speed.html |
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speed
speed of a computer. A rather vaguely defined term that is often used to indicate the relative processing power of a given computer system, since the power of a computer is largely governed by the ability of the central processing unit to execute instructions rapidly. The CPU's speed is itself dependent on numerous factors such as word length, instruction set, technology of implementation, and memory access times.
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JOHN DAINTITH. "speed." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN DAINTITH. "speed." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-speed.html JOHN DAINTITH. "speed." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-speed.html |
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speed
speed change in distance with respect to time. Speed is a scalar rather than a vector quantity; i.e., the speed of a body tells one how fast the body is moving but not the direction of the motion. If during time t a body travels over a distance s, then the average speed of that body is equal to s/t. The speed and direction of a body's motion together determine the body's velocity . |
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Cite this article
"speed." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "speed." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-speed.html "speed." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-speed.html |
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speed
speed Rate of motion of a body. Speed is a scalar (magnitude only) which does not specify direction, whereas velocity is a vector (magnitude and direction). An object's speed is calculated by dividing the distance s it has travelled by the time t taken, and this is expressed as v=s/t and given in metres per second (ms-1) or kilometres/miles per hour.
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"speed." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "speed." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-speed.html "speed." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-speed.html |
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speed
speed †success (surviving in phr. wish good s.): quickness. OE. spēd, earlier spœd = OS. spōd, OHG. spuot; f. Gmc. *spōan (OE. spōwan, OHG. spuo(e)n prosper, succeed).
Hence speed vb. OE. spēdan, usu. gespēdan = OS. spōdian (Du. spoeden), OHG. spuoten. |
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T. F. HOAD. "speed." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "speed." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-speed.html T. F. HOAD. "speed." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-speed.html |
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Speed
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MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Speed." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Speed." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Speed.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Speed." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Speed.html |
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speed
speed
•accede, bead, Bede, bleed, breed, cede, concede, creed, deed, Eid, exceed, feed, Gide, God speed, greed, he'd, heed, impede, interbreed, intercede, Jamshid, knead, lead, mead, Mede, meed, misdeed, mislead, misread, need, plead, proceed, read, rede, reed, Reid, retrocede, screed, secede, seed, she'd, speed, stampede, steed, succeed, supersede, Swede, tweed, weak-kneed, we'd, weed
•breastfeed • greenfeed • dripfeed
•chickenfeed • spoonfeed • nosebleed
•Nibelungenlied • invalid • Ganymede
•Runnymede • airspeed • millipede
•velocipede • centipede • Siegfried
•filigreed • copyread • crossbreed
•proofread • flaxseed • hayseed
•rapeseed • linseed • pumpkinseed
•aniseed • oilseed • birdseed • ragweed
•knapweed • seaweed • chickweed
•stinkweed • blanket weed • bindweed
•pondweed • duckweed • tumbleweed
•fireweed • waterweed • silverweed
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Cite this article
"speed." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "speed." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-speed.html "speed." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-speed.html |
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