foot-race
Noun: A "foot-race" is a race in which participants run on foot, typically competing to reach a finish line first. It is a contest of speed and endurance involving running, as opposed to races using vehicles or animals.
- (A running competition among children.)
- (A running race held every year.)
- (Running races of various distances in a major sports event.)
"to win a foot-race": to be the first to finish a running competition.
- She won the foot-race by a narrow margin of two seconds. (She finished first in the running race.)
"to enter a foot-race": to register or participate in a running race.
- Many amateur runners enter the charity foot-race every spring. (They join the running event for a charitable cause.)
Footrace (n): a common alternative spelling without the hyphen; has the same meaning.
- The annual footrace is a popular community event. (The running race attracts many participants.)
Footracer (n): a person who participates in foot-races.
- The footracer crossed the finish line exhausted but triumphant. (The runner completed the race.)
Run: a race on foot (often used informally).
- We had a run to see who was quicker. (A short foot-race.)
Sprint: a short, fast foot-race over a brief distance.
- The sprint was over in just ten seconds. (A quick foot-race.)
Dash: a short running race, especially in track and field.
- He competed in the 100-meter dash. (A foot-race over 100 meters.)
A foot-race for the finish: a competitive situation where speed is crucial.
- The election turned into a foot-race for the finish, with both candidates campaigning intensely. (A metaphor for a close competition.)
No foot-race: an expression meaning something is not a close competition.
- The game was no foot-race; the winning team led by twenty points. (The competition was not close.)