I. ˈrən verb
( ran ˈran ; also chiefly dialect run ; run ; run·ning )
Etymology: Middle English ronnen, alteration of rinnen, verbi. (from Old English iernan, rinnan & Old Norse rinna ) & of rennen, verbt., from Old Norse renna; akin to Old High German rinnan, verbi., to run, Sanskrit riṇāti he causes to flow, and probably to Latin rivus stream
Date: before 12th century
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to go faster than a walk ; specifically : to go steadily by springing steps so that both feet leave the ground for an instant in each step
b. of a horse : to move at a fast gallop
c. : flee , retreat , escape
dropped the gun and ran
d. : to utilize a running play on offense — used of a football team
2.
a. : to go without restraint : move freely about at will
let chickens run loose
b. : to keep company : consort
a ram running with ewes
ran with a wild crowd when he was young
c. : to sail before the wind in distinction from reaching or sailing close-hauled
d. : roam , rove
running about with no overcoat
3.
a. : to go rapidly or hurriedly : hasten
run and fetch the doctor
b. : to go in urgency or distress : resort
run s to mother at every little difficulty
c. : to make a quick, easy, or casual trip or visit
ran over to borrow some sugar
4.
a. : to contend in a race
b. : to enter into an election contest
will run for mayor
5.
a. : to move on or as if on wheels : glide
file drawers running on ball bearings
b. : to roll forward rapidly or freely
c. : to pass or slide freely
a rope run s through the pulley
d. : to ravel lengthwise
stockings guaranteed not to run
6. : to sing or play a musical passage quickly
run up the scale
7.
a. : to go back and forth : ply
the train run s between New York and Washington
b. of fish : to migrate or move in considerable numbers ; especially : to move up or down a river to spawn
8.
a. : turn , rotate
a swiftly running grindstone
b. : function , operate
the engine run s on gasoline
software that run s on her computer
9.
a.
(1) : to continue in force, operation, or production
the contract has two more years to run
the play ran for six months
(2) : to have a specified duration, extent, or length
the manuscript run s nearly 500 pages
b. : to accompany as a valid obligation or right
a right-of-way that run s with the land
c. : to continue to accrue or become payable
interest on the loan run s from July 1
10. : to pass from one state to another
run into debt
11.
a. : to flow rapidly or under pressure
b. : melt , fuse
c. : spread , dissolve
colors guaranteed not to run
d. : to discharge liquid (as pus or serum)
a running sore
12.
a. : to develop rapidly in some specific direction ; especially : to throw out an elongated shoot of growth
b. : to tend to produce or develop a specified quality or feature
they run to big noses in that family
13.
a. : to lie in or take a certain direction
the boundary line run s east
b. : to lie or extend in relation to something
c. : to go back : reach
d.
(1) : to be in a certain form or expression
the letter run s as follows
(2) : to be in a certain order of succession
14.
a. : to occur persistently
musical talent run s in the family
b.
(1) : to remain of a specified size, amount, character, or quality
profits were running high
(2) : to have or maintain a relative position or condition (as in a race)
ran third
running late
c. : to exist or occur in a continuous range of variation
shades run from white to dark gray
15.
a. : to spread or pass quickly from point to point
chills ran up her spine
b. : to be current : circulate
speculation ran rife
transitive verb
1.
a. : to cause (an animal) to go rapidly : ride or drive fast
b. : to bring to a specified condition by or as if by running
ran himself to death
c. : to go in pursuit of : hunt , chase
dogs that run deer
d. : to follow the trail of backward : trace
ran the rumor to its source
e. : to enter, register, or enroll as a contestant in a race
f. : to put forward as a candidate for office
g. : to carry (the football) on a running play
2.
a. : to drive (livestock) especially to a grazing place
b. : to provide pasturage for (livestock)
c. : to keep or maintain (livestock) on or as if on pasturage
3.
a.
(1) : to pass over or traverse with speed
(2) : to run on or over in athletic competition
run s the bases well
run the floor
b. : to accomplish or perform by or as if by running
ran a great race
run errands
c. : to slip or go through or past
run a blockade
run a red light
d. : to travel on (as a river) in a boat
run the rapids
4.
a. : to cause to penetrate or enter : thrust
ran a splinter into her toe
b. : stitch
c. : to cause to pass : lead
run a wire in from the antenna
d. : to cause to collide
ran his head into a post
e. : smuggle
run guns
5. : to cause to pass lightly or quickly over, along, or into something
ran her eye down the list
6.
a. : to cause or allow (as a vehicle or a vessel) to go in a specified manner or direction
ran the car off the road
b. : operate
run a lathe
c. : to direct the business or activities of : manage , conduct
run a factory
d. : to employ or supervise in espionage
run an agent
7.
a. : to be full of or drenched with
streets ran blood
b. : contain , assay
8.
a. : to cause to move or flow in a specified way or into a specified position
run cards into a file
b. : to cause to produce a flow (as of water)
run the faucet
also : to prepare by running a faucet
run a hot bath
9.
a. : to melt and cast in a mold
run bullets
b. : treat , process , refine
run oil in a still
run a problem through a computer
10. : to make oneself liable to : incur
ran the risk of discovery
11. : to mark out : draw
run a contour line on a map
12.
a. : to permit (as charges) to accumulate before settling
run a tab at the bar
— often used with up
ran up a large phone bill
b. : cost 1
rooms that run $50 a night
13.
a. : to produce by or as if by printing — usually used with off
ran off 10,000 copies of the first edition
b. : to carry in a printed medium : print
every newspaper ran the story
14.
a. : to make (a series of counts) without a miss
run 19 in an inning in billiards
b. : to lead winning cards of (a suit) successively
c. : to alter by addition
ran his record to six wins and four losses
15. : to make (a golf ball) roll forward after alighting
•
- run across
- run a fever
- run after
- run against
- run a tight ship
- run by
- run circles around
- run dry
- run interference
- run into
- run low on
- run one's mouth
- run riot
- run short
- run short of
- run the numbers
- run the table
- run to
- run upon
- run with
Usage:
The past tense run still survives in speech in southern England and in the speech especially of older people in some parts of the United States It was formerly used in literature, and was a standard variant in our dictionaries from 1828 until 1934. Grammarians have generally opposed it, and many people consider it nonstandard. Just about everybody uses ran in writing now.
II. noun
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : an act or the action of running : continued rapid movement
b. : a quickened gallop
c. : a migration of fish (as up or down a river) especially to spawn ; also : such fish in the process of migration
d. : a running race
a mile run
e. : a score made in baseball by a runner reaching home plate safely
f. : strength or ability to run
g. : a gain of a usually specified distance made on a running play in football
scored on a 25-yard run
also : a running play
h. : a sustained usually aggressive effort (as to win or obtain something)
making a run at the championship
2.
a. chiefly Midland : creek 2
b. : something that flows in the course of an operation or during a particular time
the first run of sap in sugar maples
3.
a. : the stern of the underwater body of a ship from where it begins to curve or slope upward and inward
b. : the direction in which a vein of ore lies
c. : a direction of secondary or minor cleavage : grain
the run of a mass of granite
d. : a horizontal distance (as that covered by a flight of steps)
e. : general tendency or direction
4. : a continuous period or series especially of things of identical or similar sort
a run of bad luck
as
a. : a rapid passage up or down a scale in vocal or instrumental music
b. : a number of rapid small dance steps executed in even tempo
c. : the act of making successively a number of successful shots or strokes ; also : the score thus made
a run of 20 in billiards
d. : an unbroken course of performances or showings
a long run on Broadway
e. : a set of consecutive measurements, readings, or observations
f. : persistent and heavy demands from depositors, creditors, or customers
a run on a bank
g. : sequence 2b
5. : the quantity of work turned out in a continuous operation
a press run of 10,000 copies
6. : the usual or normal kind, character, type, or group
the average run of students
7.
a. : the distance covered in a period of continuous traveling or sailing
b. : a course or trip especially if mapped out and traveled with regularity
c. : a news reporter's regular territory : beat
d. : freedom of movement in or access to a place or area
has the run of the house
8.
a. : the period during which a machine or plant is in continuous operation
b. : the use of machinery for a single set of processing procedures
a computer run
9.
a. : a way, track, or path frequented by animals
b. : an enclosure for domestic animals where they may feed or exercise
c. Australian
(1) : a large area of land used for grazing
a sheep run
(2) : ranch , station
run -holder
d. : an inclined passageway
10.
a. : an inclined course (as for skiing or bobsledding)
b. : a support (as a track, pipe, or trough) on which something runs
11.
a. : a ravel in a knitted fabric (as in hosiery) caused by the breaking of stitches
b. : a paint defect caused by excessive flow
12. plural but singular or plural in construction : diarrhea — used with the
• run·less -ləs adjective
•
- on the run
- run for one's money
III. adjective
Date: 1774
1.
a. : being in a melted state
run butter
b. : made from molten material : cast in a mold
run metal
2. of fish : having made a migration or spawning run
a fresh run salmon
3. : exhausted or winded from running