ram-racen.
/ˈramreɪs/, U.S. /ˈræmˌreɪs/, Scottish English /ˈramres/, Irish English /ˈræmreːs/ Scottish, English regional (northern), and Irish English (northern).
1. A headlong, heedless rush, like that of a charging ram. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > [noun] > impetuous > a headlong course or rush
ram-race1513
fling1556
loose1700
dash1809
fudder1866
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid xi. xvii. 49 Sum..Can with a ram rays to the portis dusche.
1796 R. Lochore Foppish Taylor 14 His claise a' rags—he ran poor chiel, A ram race to the very de'il!
1821 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 9 163 Poor man! he ran at last a ram-race, and was taken before the session.
1835 Rambles Northumberland 218 The bull took a ram-race at the unfortunate man.
1895 J. Tweeddale Moff vi. 63 He consulted his paper again, and started off with a ram-race.
a1917 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick (1927) 17 Thay sang that chorus fer owre quick. Thay made a perfeet raam-race o'd.
1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 269/2 Ram-race, a headlong rush.
2. An action, esp. a short, rapid run, which provides the impetus for a jump, push, or other activity.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > athletics > [noun] > specific athletic sports other than running > preparatory run
ram-race1695
run-up1897
1695 W. Kennett Parochial Antiq. Gloss. Ram-raise, the motion of stepping backward for the better advantage of taking a leap forward.
1796 A. Steel Twa Cuckolds in A. Steel & R. Gall Twa Cuckolds & Tint Quey 5 Sae, but a ramrace, he jamp in.
c1815 J. Hogg Connel of Dee xxviii With ram-race he cleared at a bensil the wall.
1868 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. 16 He took a ram-race and smashed open the door.
1923 G. Watson Roxburghshire Word-bk. 247 Ram-race, a short, rapid run to gain impetus for leaping, butting, driving, etc.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1513