Definition of "speed"

speed¹

/spiːd/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural speeds
1. The state of moving quickly or the capacity for rapid motion.
2. (mathematics, physics) The rate of motion or action, specifically the magnitude of the velocity; the rate distance is traversed in a given time.
3. (photography) The sensitivity to light of film, plates or sensor.
4. (photography) The duration of exposure, the time during which a camera shutter is open (shutter speed).
5. (photography) The largest size of the lens opening at which a lens can be used.
6. (photography) The ratio of the focal length to the diameter of a photographic objective.
7. (slang, uncountable) Amphetamine or any amphetamine-based drug (especially methamphetamine) used as a stimulant, especially illegally.
8. (archaic) Luck, success, prosperity.
  Quotations
  St. Francis be my ſpeed, how oft to night / Haue my old feet ſtumbled at graues?
  c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene iii], page 76
  O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Genesis 24:12
9. (slang) Personal preference.
10. (finance, uncountable) A third-order measure of derivative price sensitivity, expressed as the rate of change of gamma with respect to changes in the underlying asset price.
interjection
1. (film) Called by the soundman when the recording equipment has reached running speed and is ready to go.
  Quotations
  “Speed,” Carlos, the soundman, said. […] “Camera.”“Rolling,” replied Bryce, the cameraman.
  2000, Brian J. Hayes, A Boy Scout in Hollywood, page 30
  […] the director called, “Roll 'em,” the sound man said, “Speed,” and Norling stepped in and said, […]
  2012, Tom Mascaro, Into the Fray, page 52

speed²

/spiːd/

verb
third-person singular simple present speeds, present participle speeding, simple past and past participle sped or (mostly UK) speeded
1. (intransitive, archaic) To succeed; to prosper, be lucky.
  Quotations
  And yf I maye fynde suche a knyghte that hath all these vertues / he may drawe oute this swerd oute of the shethe / for I haue ben at kyng Ryons / it was told me ther were passyng good knyghtes / and he and alle his knyghtes haue assayed it and none can spede(please add an English translation of this quotation)
  1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter 1, in Le Morte Darthur, book I
  We have been praying for our husbands' healths,Which speed, we hope, the better for our words.Are they returned?
  c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene i]
  Aristotle must find out the motion of Euripus; Pliny must needs see Vesuvius; but how sped they? One loseth goods, another his life.
  1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, partition I, section 2, member 4, subsection vii
  At night returning, every labor sped, / He sits him down the monarch of a shed: / Smiles by his cheerful fire, and round surveys, / His children’s looks, that brighten at the blaze;
  18thc., Oliver Goldsmith, Introductory to Switzerland
2. (transitive, archaic) To help someone, to give them fortune; to aid or favour.
  Quotations
  Fortune speed us! So we set forth to sea
  c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene iv]
  with rising gales that sped their happy flight
  1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
3. (intransitive) To go fast.
  Quotations
  I have speeded hither with the very extremest inch of possibility.
  c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene ii]
  With a little manœuvring they contrived to meet on the doorstep which was […] in a boiling stream of passers-by, hurrying business people speeding past in a flurry of fumes and dust in the bright haze.
  1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 10, in The China Governess‎
4. (intransitive) To exceed the speed limit.
  Quotations
  It had these very funny, crazy plays in it, and then it had this one story about a traffic cop that falls in love with this very cute girl that’s always speeding.
  1951, J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Little, Brown and Company, page 25
5. (transitive) To increase the rate at which something occurs.
  Quotations
  It is possible that the uterine contractions speed the sperm along.
  1982, Carole Offir, Carole Wade, Human sexuality,, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, page 454
  Such interventions can help to speed the process of reducing CBRs and help countries pass through the demographic transition threshold more quickly […].
  2004, James M. Cypher, James L. Dietz, The process of economic development, Routledge, page 359
6. (intransitive, slang) To be under the influence of stimulant drugs, especially amphetamines.
  Quotations
  Jackie is just speeding away / Thought she was James Dean for a day
  1972, Lou Reed (lyrics and music), “Walk on the Wild Side”, in Transformer
  If Hector had not been speeding, it was possible that his next thought would have hurt: he loves his uncle unconditionally, in a way he will never love me.
  2008, Christos Tsiolkas, The Slap, Allen and Unwin, page 46
7. (obsolete) To be expedient.
8. (archaic) To hurry to destruction; to put an end to; to ruin.
  Quotations
  infected with the fashions, full of wingdalls, sped with spavins, rayed with yellows
  c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene ii]
  A dire dilemma! either vvay I'm ſped, / If Foes, they vvrite, if Friends, they read me dead.
  1735 January 13 (Gregorian calendar; indicated as 1734), [Alexander] Pope, An Epistle from Mr. Pope, to Dr. Arbuthnot, London: […] J[ohn] Wright for Lawton Gilliver […], page 2, lines 31–32
9. (archaic) To wish success or good fortune to, in any undertaking, especially in setting out upon a journey.
  Quotations
  Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.
  1726, Homer, “Book XV”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume IV, London: […] Bernard Lintot
10. To cause to make haste; to dispatch with celerity; to drive at full speed; hence, to hasten; to hurry.
  Quotations
  He sped him thence, home to his habitation.
  1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes
11. To hasten to a conclusion; to expedite.
  Quotations
  Judicial acts […] are sped in open court at the instance of one or both of the parties.
  1726, John Ayliffe, Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani: Or, A Commentary, by Way of Supplement to the Canons and Constitutions of the Church of England. […], London: […] D. Leach, and sold by John Walthoe […]

Definition of "speed"

speed1

noun

Quotations

interjection

Quotations

speed2

verb

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

speed¹

speed²