(rās) noun
1. One of the major subdivisions of mankind, regarded as having a common origin and exhibiting a relatively constant set of physical traits. On the basis of the more commonly used criteria such as stature, the cephalic index, the nasal index, prognathism, skull capacity, texture of the hair, degree of pilosity, color of the skin, and hair and eye color, mankind has been divided into primary stocks or races, each of which is regarded as including a varying number of ethnic groups. According to some, the primary stocks are: the Caucasoid, the Mongoloid, and the Negroid. A number of races, such as the Australian and Polynesian, are of doubtful classification.
2. Any group of people or any grouping of peoples having, or assumed to have, common characteristics.
3. A nation: the German race.
4. A genealogical or family stock; clan: the race of MacGregor.
5. Pedigree; lineage: a noble race.
6. Any class of beings having characteristics uniting them, or differentiating them from others: the race of lawyers.
7. Biol. A group of plants or animals, having characteristics clearly differentiating it from other groups within the same species, which breeds true except for minor variations; a variety: a race of wheat.
8. A stock, breed, or strain of domestic animals or plants.
9. A quality or aggregate of qualities by which origin is determined; especially, the characteristic flavor or taste of wine. See synonyms Under AFFINITY, KIN, PEOPLE, SORT. [<F <Ital. razza <L (gene)ratio lineage, breed]

(rās) noun
1. A contest to determine the relative speed of the contestants.
2. Any contest.
3. Movement or progression; swift movement.
4. Duration of life; course; career.
5. A swift current of water or its channel.
6. A swift current or heavy sea resulting from the meeting of two tides: the Portland Race.
7. A sluice or channel by which to conduct water to or from a waterwheel or around a dam. See HEADRACE, MILLRACE, TAILRACE.
8. Any groove or channel along which some part of a machine slides or is guided.
9. Slip-stream.
—v. raced, rac·ing v.i.
1. To take part in a contest of speed.
2. To move at great or top speed.
3. To move at an accelerated or too great speed, usually because of decreased resistance: said of machinery.
—v.t.
4. To contend against in a race.
5. To cause to take part in a race.
6. To cause to move at an accelerated or too great speed: to race an engine. [<ON rās. Akin to OE ræs a rushing.]

(rās) noun
A root; specifically, a root of ginger. [<OF rais <L radix root]

(rās), Cape
The southeasternmost point of Newfoundland.