2
general::
speed
verbs
increase your speed
• He increased his speed until he was running flat out.
gain/gather/pick up speed
(= go faster )
• The Mercedes was gradually picking up speed.
reach a speed
• The trains will reach speeds of 140 mph.
maintain a speed
(= keep the same speed )
• The aircraft is designed to maintain a steady speed.
reduce speed
(= slow down deliberately )
• She reduced speed as she approached the village.
lose speed
(= slow down without wanting to )
• The engine made a strange sound and we lost speed.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + speed
an average speed
• Our average speed was 88 mph.
a constant/steady speed
• The disc revolves at a constant speed.
a top/maximum speed
(= the highest possible )
• The car has a top speed of 132 mph.
wind speed
(= the speed of the wind )
• The average wind speed will be about 14 knots.
air speed
(= the speed of a plane in relation to the air around it )
phrases
at high/great speed
• The train was travelling at high speed.
at low/slow speed
• Even at low speed, an accident could mean serious injury for a child.
at full speed
(= running, driving etc as fast as possible )
• He ran past us at full speed.
at/with lightning speed
(= very quickly )
• He moved with his usual lightning speed.
at breakneck speed
(= very quickly )
• He drove away at breakneck speed.
speed + NOUN
a speed limit
• The speed limit is 40 mph here.
a speed restriction
• New speed restrictions have been introduced.
a speed camera
(= designed to photograph vehicles going too fast )
• Most GPS systems will warn you when there are speed cameras.
transnet.ir
3
general::
speed (sth) up
[ M ]
to happen or move faster, or to make something happen or move faster
• This drug may have the effect of speeding up your heart rate.
• Can the job be speeded up in some way?
• The tape speeded up towards the end.
• I think you need to speed up a bit (= drive faster) - we're going to be late.
• The economy shows signs of speeding up (= increasing activity).
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs
4
general::
noun ADJ. amazing, astonishing, breakneck, fast, great, high, incredible, lightning, phenomenal, remarkable, startling, surprising, terrific The new houses have been built with astonishing speed. He drove us to the hospital at breakneck speed. | low, slow | full, maximum, top | excess 90% of car accidents involve excess speed. | constant, steady | average | cruising, flying, operating, reading, running The machinery is regulated to a safe running speed. | engine, traffic, etc. | air, wind QUANT. burst The Greek runner produced an electrifying burst of speed over the last 50 metres. VERB + SPEED attain, reach The car reaches a speed of 60 miles per hour within five seconds. | build up, gain, gather, increase, pick up The train pulled out of the station, slowly gathering speed. | lose | curb, kill, reduce measures to curb the speed of cars travelling through the village | maintain The boat maintained a steady speed while the sea was calm. | measure SPEED + VERB increase | decrease SPEED + NOUN control, reduction, restriction | record ‘Mallard’ holds the speed record for a steam locomotive. | hump | camera, trap PREP. at ~ (= fast) The train was travelling at speed when the accident happened. at lightning speed | with ~ Hedgehogs, though small, can move with surprising speed. PHRASES (at) full speed He was running at full speed when a tendon snapped in his leg. | full speed ahead The boat can be brought to a stop from full speed ahead within her own length. | the speed of light/sound Concorde crosses the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound. | a turn of speed For a small car it has a good turn of speed.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary