To ride is to sit on or in something that moves, like a bike, horse, or car, and be carried along by it. It can also mean to move smoothly on something, like riding a wave.
From Old English *rīdan* “to ride, go on horseback,” related to Old High German *rītan* and Old Norse *ríða*. The word originally focused on horseback travel, long before bikes and cars existed.
For most of history, “ride” basically meant “ride a horse,” so modern phrases like “ride the bus” are historically weird. Surfing and skateboarding grabbed the same word, because the feeling—balancing on moving force—is so similar.
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