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Read moreOne of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
noun
A bicycle or motorcycle.
‘I'm going by bike’as modifier ‘a bike ride’- ‘Cyclists shave grams off their bikes as though they're preparing to launch them to Mars.’
- ‘Fast moving and reckless, these drivers can be found on cars, bikes and bicycles.’
- ‘Fundraisers can get on their bikes for sponsored cycle rides through the grounds of Longleat.’
- ‘The same logic says that it's smarter to buy a bike from a bike shop than from Canadian Tire or Zellers.’
- ‘It means visually impaired people in Grimsby will have the chance to go out on a tandem bike with a sighted cyclist.’
- ‘It's like taking your hands off the handle bars of a bike while you're cycling.’
- ‘The local bike shops have been unable to fix it and don't seem to have any solid advice.’
- ‘It's no secret that eBay has become one of the hottest spots on the Internet to buy and sell used bikes and bike gear.’
- ‘You can also hire bikes and cycle round the island taking in the breathtaking views of Arran on the way.’
- ‘He said despite the one game agreement he told the meeting there had been occasions where it had been used four times a week and that children had been riding bikes across it.’
- ‘To save money, they might leave their bikes in those glorified cycle racks in front of the main stands.’
- ‘Some people prefer adaptive bikes because they look more like normal bikes and are less expensive.’
- ‘As September approached, the girls began to talk about riding their bikes to school.’
- ‘The more conventional novelties included the first ever Blue Peter board game and mini BMX bikes that can be ridden with your fingers.’
- ‘It was followed by a bike change, as his gears had been damaged, and a second chase.’
- ‘His best freebie has been a mountain bike and a bike rack for his car.’
- ‘This child cannot rollerskate, play sports or ride bikes because the normal activity of children causes chronic sores.’
- ‘We are real people who are doing a job just like anyone else; we just get paid to ride our bikes.’
- ‘Typical models include mounts for two bikes, but additional mounts can be purchased separately.’
- ‘There is also a fun ride where the citizens of Hamburg can ride their bikes around a set course in the city streets.’
- ‘To mountain bike is not to own a mountain bike and cycle along cycle paths, but to own a bike and cycle around mountains.’
- ‘After the ride we did another wash and loaded the bikes and we were soon off to Trenton.’
- ‘He was a keen motorcyclist who had been riding bikes since the age of 16.’
verb
informalno object, with adverbial of direction Ride a bicycle or motorcycle.
‘we hope to encourage as many people as possible to bike to work’‘the terrain is perfect for biking’- ‘Go for a hike, toss a frisbee or enjoy a walk in the park, go rollerblading, biking, canoeing, or swimming at an outdoor pool.’
- ‘Himalayan Enfielders, now nearly a year old with about 70 members, is a forum for people who have a passion for biking in Kathmandu.’
- ‘But also trekking, biking or horse riding are good possibilities too.’
- ‘The narrow, leaning buildings and the large city park, Vondelpark, make Amsterdam a picturesque city for walking or biking.’
- ‘Alan George, 52, of Tadcaster Road, York, has been riding a motorcycle for 35 years and was biking to work today.’
- ‘Falconry displays, American cheerleaders, Quad biking and train rides will also feature.’
- ‘Avoid driving whenever possible by walking, biking, using public transit, or car-pooling.’
- ‘Some like to go biking in the mountains for instance.’
- ‘Especially Yamaha - because the ad he features in is promising the ‘next revolution’ in biking.’
- ‘One of the most tangible connections I've made in the past few days is between my leg and a piece of wood while biking in Pacific Spirit Park.’
- ‘Nothing is more satisfying than biking swiftly down Summit into the sunset… going nearly as fast as the cars.’
- ‘Anyway, the only other thing I've been really focused on these days is getting back to the gym and tackling the world of road biking.’
- ‘Might go biking because it is such a lovely evening.’
- ‘These are real and possible threats while biking along a suburban city paved bike and hike trail.’
- ‘Several years ago, I was biking on a trail and a guy rode up beside me and yes, started talking to me.’
- ‘If he biked through several states, as he is now ‘bicycling through Spain’, and earned more than $300 in each state, was he required to file state returns?’
- ‘They are also biking for a cause, as the bicyclists made it a point to emphasise when they made a stopover in Bangalore.’
- ‘Do you prefer city biking or would a more scenic ride suit you better?’
- ‘‘We still do some winter biking, as well as training together in the winter,’ said Hofer.’
- ‘And Anandan is biking angrily throughout the city wondering what to do.’
Origin
Late 19th century: abbreviation.
Pronunciation
noun
Scottish, Northern Englishrare
A nest or swarm of bees, wasps, or hornets.
‘they swarmed over him like a bike of wasps’- ‘Last season, this birdhouse was inhabited by a bike of wasps.’
- ‘There are many solitary wasps and solitary bees, and there are many grades of sociality between the solitary life and that of the beehive and the wasps' bike.’
- ‘My head felt about the size of a football and buzzed like a bike of bees.’
Origin
Late Middle English: of unknown origin; perhaps from Old English béoc, contraction of béowíc ‘bee dwelling’.
