Definition of run run in English English dictionary
- against the run of play
- Contrary to the flow of the game
- beer run
- A trip made, often late at night, to obtain beer or other alcoholic beverages
- chicken run
- an enclosed area, attached to a chicken coop, in which poultry are allowed to run around and peck
- cut and run
- To hurry away; to escape
- cut and run
- To abandon a position as quickly as possible
President Bush laid out the scenario we face if the United States decides to cut and run.
- cut and run
- To sail away quickly by cutting the yarns that hold the sails furled
- dead run
- To come as fast as one can, often in a harried state
When she saw smoke coming from the kitchen, the old woman came in on the dead run to remove the burned loaf of bread from the oven.
- dice run
- Similar to a poker run, an organized event where motorcyclists pay an entry fee and then follow a prescribed course with checkpoints, at each of which dice are rolled and the result recorded. At the last checkpoint a winner is determined and prizes awarded, typically at a party. Proceeds usually go to benefit a charity
- drink run
- A short break that involves procuring drinks (non-alcoholic), and possibly snacks. It is similar to coffee break, but could be for any drinks, such as soft drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks
- dry run
- A practice; a rehearsal
They did a dry run of the demonstration before showing it to the CEO.
- dry-run
- Alternative spelling of dry run
- dummy run
- A trial or practice before the real attempt
We'll make a dummy run with a small group first, to check that it works correctly.
- earned run
- A run that was recorded without the benefit of an error
- earned run average
- a statistic in baseball which equals the number of earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched
- end run
- A running play in American football in which the player carrying the ball attempts to avoid being tackled by evading the defending players from the opposing team
- end run
- An attempt to avoid a difficult situation by transcending it without confronting it directly
- fun run
- A sporting event where people run a certain distance for charity rather than for competition
- go-ahead run
- A score which gives the scoring team or player the lead in the game
The pitcher gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning.
- hacking run
- A hacking session extended long outside normal working times, especially one longer than 12 hours; sometimes an all-nighter
It'll take a hacking run to find the roots of such a Byzantine bug.
- have the run of
- To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will
The dog usually has the run of the house and yard, so he was perplexed when we tied him up in back during the party.
- hit a home run
- To achieve the best possible result
- hit a home run
- To hit a ball during an at-bat that results in all runners on base and the hitter scoring runs; the best result of an at-bat
- hit and run
- a play in which the baserunners are put in motion before the ball is hit
- hit and run
- the act of joining a poker game, quickly winning several hands, then leaving
- hit and run
- the act of hitting something or someone with a vehicle and leaving the scene of the incident
- hit-and-run
- Describing something, usually an accident, in which hit-and-run occurs
- hit-and-run
- The crime of causing an accident, as with a motor vehicle, and leaving without acknowledging responsibility
- hit-and-run
- A play in baseball where the baserunners leave their base before the batter hits the ball, assuming that the batter will in fact hit the ball and this will give them an advantage
- hit-and-run
- The military technique of attacking one place and then quickly moving to another before defenders can react
- hold with the hare and run with the hounds
- To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite
Well, if you ask me, Pastor Hawkins is trying to hold with the hare and run with the hounds by opposing casino gambling when his church operates a bingo game every Thursday night.
- hold with the hare and run with the hounds
- To remain neutral by attempting to placate two factions or both sides of a controversy
Julianna needs to be careful if she keeps holding with the hare and running with the hounds; she might wind up making enemies of both labor and management.
- home run
- A success; especially, a popular success
The product was a home run.
- home run
- Sexual intercourse
- home run
- The portion of a journey that ends at home
I'm on the home run.
- home run
- A four-base hit, a homer
The first baseman hit a home run to lead off the ninth.
- horizontal run
- A cable run installed inside a building wall
- in the long run
- After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally
If we have learned one thing from the history of invention and discovery, it is that, in the long run — and often in the short one — the most daring prophecies seem laughably conservative.
- in the short run
- Lasting only a short time, shortsightedly
In the short run yo-yo dieting will work, but eventually it makes it nearly impossible to lose weight.
- long run
- An extended period of time
It's a little more work up front, but it will save a lot of time in the long run.
- milk run
- A routine trip, especially one involving several stops
- milk run
- A campaign for a political office whose main apparent purpose is to "milk" money from supporters in order to provide a source of income for the candidate, campaign staff, and family members
- milk run
- An uneventful mission, especially a military sortie completed without incident
- milk run
- the picking up of mixed loads from multiple fixed sources on a regular routine like basis
- mole run
- a meandering ridge in a roof membrane not associated with insulation or deck joints
- nude run
- A prank in which one runs through a public place wearing little or no clothing, usually to amuse others
Did you see that guy doing a nude run at the party last night?.
- on the run
- Constantly traveling or moving from place to place
She's a busy executive and always on the run.
- on the run
- Fleeing
The suspect in the robbery is still on the run.
- on the run
- In a very hurried manner, usually while doing another activity
I only had half an hour for lunch, and I had to go to the bank as well as collect the car from the garage. This meant I had to eat on the run today.
- on the run
- At a disadvantage; forced to abandon a position
The corruption charges against her aides have her on the run.
- one can run but one can't hide
- There is nothing someone can do to evade something
You can run but you can't hide.
- pig run
- The open area of a pigsty
- pig run
- The running of a pig through an oil or gas pipeline
- pig-run
- Alternative spelling of pig run
- poker run
- A motorcycling event where each participant pays a fee, and then follows a course with checkpoints, at each of which a playing card is drawn. At the last checkpoint, the rider with the best poker hand is the winner. Typically poker runs end with a party, and the proceeds benefit a charity
- proverbs run in pairs
- Every proverb seems to be contradicted by another proverb with an opposed message, such as "too many cooks spoil the broth" and "many hands make light work."
Moreover, all the world over, proverbs run in pairs, and pull both ways: for the most part one neutralizes, by contradiction, the other.
- rat run
- A small road that people venture down when they want to sneak off the motorway and take a short cut
- rat run
- To drive through residential streets to avoid congestion on the main roads
- rise over run
- A mnemonic for remembering that the slope of a non-vertical line is the ratio of the amount it rises over some interval, over the length of that interval
- run
- The horizontal length of a set of stairs
- run
- A point scored in baseball and cricket
- run
- To be presented in one of the media
Her picture ran on the front page of the newspaper.
- run
- To cause to move quickly; to make move lightly
Can you run these data through the program for me and tell me whether it gives an error?.
- run
- A trial of an experiment
The data got lost, so I'll have to perform another run of the experiment.
- run
- To flee away from a danger or towards help
When he's broke, he runs to me for money.
- run
- horizontal dimension of a slope
- run
- A regular trip or route
The bus on the Cherry Street run is always crowded.
- run
- An errand or the journey associated with an errand
I need to make a run to the store.
- run
- A small creek or part thereof
- run
- A rapid passage in music, especially along a scale
- run
- To transport someone or something
Please run this report upstairs to director's office.
- run
- An enclosure for an animal; a track or path along which something can travel
He set up a rabbit run.
- run
- The act of running
I just got back from my run.
- run
- A pace faster than a walk
He broke into a run.
- run
- To leak or spread in an undesirable fashion , to bleed (especially used of dye or paint)
He discovered during washing that the red rug ran on his white sheet, staining it pink.
- run
- To make something extend in space
I need to run this wire along the wall.
- run
- To extend in time, to last, to continue (usually with a measure phrase)
The speech runs as follows:.
- run
- To cost a large amount of money
Laptops run about a thousand dollars apiece.
- run
- To smuggle illegal goods
run rum.
- run
- Of an object, to have a liquid flowing from it
My cup runneth over.
- run
- A flow of liquid; a leak
The constant run of water from the faucet annoys me.
- run
- Of a machine, including computer programs, to be operating or working normally
Buses don't run here on Sunday.
- run
- A series of tries in a game that were successful
- run
- To make run in a race or an election
The Green Party is running twenty candidates in this election.
- run
- The top of a step on a staircase, also called a tread, as opposed to the rise
- run
- A sudden series of demands on a bank or other financial institution, especially characterised by great withdrawals
Financial insecurity led to a run on the banks, as customers feared for the security of their savings.
- run
- To carry a football down the field
- run
- Of stitches, to unravel
My stocking is running.
- run
- To move or spread quickly
The flu is running through my daughter's kindergarten.
- run
- Any sudden large demand for something
There was a run on Christmas presents.
- run
- To make a machine operate
Don't run the engine so fast.
- run
- A pleasure trip
Let's go for a run in the car.
- run
- To control or manage, be in charge of
My parents think they run my life.
- run
- A line of knit stitches that have unravelled, particularly in a nylon stocking
I have a run in my stocking.
- run
- To move forward quickly upon two feet by alternately making a short jump off of either foot, compare: walk
Run, Sarah, run!.
- run
- To control or have precedence in a card game
Every three or four hands he would run the table.
- run
- To extend in space or through a range (often with a measure phrase)
It ran in quality from excellent to substandard.
- run
- To go at a fast pace, to move quickly
Sorry, I've got to run; my house is on fire.
- run
- The stern of the underwater body of a ship from where it begins to curve upward and inward
- run
- copulative To become different in a way mentioned (usually to become worse)
I was no more than a boy / In the company of strangers / In the quiet of the railway station / Running scared.
- run
- An interval of distance or time, a period marked by a continuing trend
I’m having a run of bad luck.
- run
- To compete in a race
I'm not ready to run a marathon.
- run
- To go through without stopping, usually illegally
run a blockade.
- run
- A production quantity in a factory
Yesterday we did a run of 12,000 units.
- run
- The length of a showing of a play, film, tv series or season or themes/genres of such
It is the last week of our French cinema run.
- run
- A fast gallop
- run
- A sequence of cards in a suit in a card game
- run
- The amount of something made
The book’s initial press run will be 5,000 copies.
- run
- A single trip down a hill, as in skiing and bobsledding
- run
- Unrestricted use of an area
He can have the run of the house.
- run
- To execute or carry out a plan, procedure, or program
My computer is too old to run the new OS.
- run
- A standard or unexceptional group or category
He stood out from the usual run of applicants.
- run
- To make a liquid flow; to make liquid flow from an object
Run the tap until the water gets hot.
- run
- To juggle a pattern continuously, as opposed to starting and stopping quickly
- run
- Exhausted; depleted (especially with "down" or "out".)
- run
- To print or broadcast in the media
run an ad.
- run
- Of fish, to migrate for spawning
- run
- The route taken while running
Which run did you do today?.
- run
- To be a candidate in an election
We're trying to find somebody to run against him next year.
- run
- To sort through a large volume of produce in quality control
Looks like we're gonna have to run the tomatoes again.
- run
- Of a liquid, to flow
There's blood running down your leg.
- run
- In a liquid state; melted; molten
Put some run butter on the vegetables.
- run a bath
- To fill a bathtub with water in preparation for taking a bath
Never leave a child unattended when you are running him a bath.
- run a mile
- To escape, flee or leave a situation or relationship, usually as a result of a shocking or sudden announcement or revelation
If I told him that I had kids, he'd run a mile.
- run a red light
- To pass a political bill that is clearly based on false premises
- run a red light
- To pass through the traffic light when the red light is on
- run a red light
- To falsely accuse someone of wrongdoing
- run a red light
- To enter a restricted area. To trespass
- run about
- To be very busy doing many different things
I've been running about all week getting everything ready for the holidays.
- run across
- To cross by running
The police ran across the bridge to catch the criminal.
- run across
- To find or discover by chance
While I was cleaning the kitchen cupboards, I ran across Mother's recipe for Cornish game hens.
- run afoul
- To become entangled or in conflict with
- run afoul of
- To become entangled in; to run aground on
- run afoul of
- To contravene
When quoting others, take care not to run afoul of copyright rules.
- run after
- To chase
That dog will get hurt if he continues to run after cars.
- run after
- To make a determined effort to win someone's affections
She runs after any man in uniform!.
- run aground
- To cause a vessel to run aground
- run aground
- For a vessel to be immobilized by water too shallow to allow it to float
- run amok
- To go on a rampage; to be in an uncontrollable rage
- run and gun
- To move the ball quickly and shoot often. Often used attributively
This coach likes to play a run and gun offense.
- run around
- to move from one end of the consist to the other, so as to pull the train in the opposite direction
- run around
- To be very busy doing many different things
I don't want to run around all week getting everything ready for the holidays.
- run around after
- To spend a lot of time doing things for another person or group of people. Often used when that person could reasonably do the things for themselves
I have spent all morning running around after the kids.
- run around like a chicken with its head cut off
- To act in a haphazard or aimless way; frantically or without control
The president doesn't know what to do. He's running around like a headless chicken.
- run around with
- To spend a lot of time with a person or group of people. Often used to talk about a person's group of friends that one does not like much
I'm not happy about the friends my son is running around with at the moment.
- run away
- To leave home, or other place of residence, usually unannounced, or to make good on a threat, with such action usually performed by a child or juvenile
The little boy was unhappy about having to take a bath every day and decided to run away from home.
- run away
- To flee by running
The crowd had to run away from the burning structure with only the clothes on their backs.
- run away with
- To leave secretly with another person. Usually with the intention of getting married or of living together against the wishes of the family
- run away with
- To be misled by imagining that one's desires can come true
He allowed his emotions to run away with him.
- run back
- To take someone home by car. Give someone a lift to their house
If you can wait a couple of minutes, I'll run you back.
- run back
- To rewind a film or cassette
Can you run it back to the beginning, please?.
- run batted in
- A run that a given player has caused to be scored by a hit, walk, or sacrifice
- run by
- To inform someone briefly of the main points of an idea
I would like to hear your opinion on this. Have you got a few minutes, so I can run some ideas by you.
- run by
- To repeat some information
Can you just run those numbers by me again, please? To make sure I've got them clear.
- run chase
- the situation in which the side batting last need to score a certain number of runs to win; the effort made by such a side to win
- run circles around
- To outperform by a great margin
You may think you're a fast typist, but he'll run circles around you any day!.
- run circles round
- Alternative form of run circles around
- run down
- To reduce the size or stock levels of a business, often with a view to closure
The board of directors have decided to run down the stocks held in storage prior to offering the company for sale.
- run down
- To read quickly a list or other short text
Running down the list of suggestions, I can see three we can discard immediately.
- run down
- To criticize someone or an organisation, often unfairly
Don't run yourself down so much!.
- run down
- To find something or someone after searching for a long time
I finally managed to run down that report. I had filed it incorrectly.
- run down
- To lose power slowly. Used for a machine, battery, or other powered device
If you don't switch off the car lights, you will run the battery down.
- run down
- To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them
He was run down while crossing the main road.
- run down the clock
- To waste time at the end of a match such that it is terminated by running out of time
- run for
- To try to obtain political position through the democratic voting process
John Smith is running for President.
- run for it
- To to escape from being discovered or caught
Quick! We'd better run for it! Someones coming.
- run for office
- To seek political power
- run for one's money
- A difficult challenge for the person indicated, especially one involving a competitive situation
After beating Bush in New Hampshire, McCain gave him a two month run for his money. Bush had to prove he wasn't just a famous name.
- run for one's money
- A reasonable opportunity to succeed, perform acceptably, or escape harm, especially in a difficult situation
I say he'll get a run for his money. If there's any killing to be done, it will be in fair fight..
- run for the hills
- Flee
- run for the roses
- Nickname for the Kentucky Derby horse race
- run for the roses
- A college football game or series of games played with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the championship Rose Bowl game
Looking back at Ohio State's run for the roses, there might be some who will insist the Buckeyes were lucky to escape defeat at least once. . . . the Buckeyes whipped a jinx in the form of premature Rose Bowl talk.
- run for the roses
- A hard-fought competition or demanding challenge of any kind
I thought about leaps of faith, runs for the roses, and reaching for the stars.
- run hot and cold
- To alternate between two opposite extremes, such as enthusiasm and disinterest or success and failure
The business runs hot and cold; some months our firm doesn't earn enough to cover expenses and other months, we net 400% profits.
- run in
- To arrest
The guys who robbed the bank last week have finally been run in.
- run in
- To drive a car carefully when it is new so the engine is not damaged in any way
I have to drive slowly for the first 1,000 miles to run the engine in.
- run in
- Alternative spelling of run-in
- run in the family
- To be a characteristic feature that is observed in several generations of a family
- run interference
- To handle problems or remove obstacles for another person, especially for a person in authority
- run into
- To blend into; to be followed by or adjacent to without there being a clear boundary
Of course, a show might start at a certain time, and one must place bets at the sports book at the right time, but for the most part, day runs into night and night runs into day without notice or comment.
- run into
- To reach a large figure
By the end, the cost of the project ran into the millions of dollars.
- run into
- To reach, to flow into (a body of water)
Œāso, on the coast, at the northern extremity of the Pyrenees, where the River Magrăda, now Urumea, runs into the sea.
- run into
- To cause to collide with
He lost control of the vehicle and ran it into a tree.
- run into
- To encounter or meet unexpectedly (literally or figuratively)
Everything was going according to plan until we ran into the legal problems.
- run into
- To collide with
He lost control of the vehicle and ran into a tree.
- run into
- To cause to blend into
You can use the paintbrush this way to run the colors into each other.
- run into
- To enter by running
He ran into the building.
- run into the ground
- To discuss ad nauseam
You've run the upcoming election into the ground and I simply won't listen to another word about it.
- run into the ground
- To mismanage to the point of ruin
Although he has an MBA from Harvard, he still ran the company into the ground.
- run into the ground
- To wear out, especially through excessive use
I figure this car has a few more years left in it and I intend to run it into the ground before purchasing another.
- run like a top
- To operate flawlessly and smoothly
I've just tuned my car, and now it's running like a top.
- run like the wind
- to run quickly
- run off
- To leave someone without prior advice
He ran off to France leaving her with all the debts and three children to bring up.
- run off
- To chase someone away
If anyone comes into this field, the bull will soon run them off.
- run off
- To make photocopies, or print
Please run off a couple dozen more flyers to pass out.
- run off
- To flee or depart quickly
Don't run off before the end of the event.
- run off
- To operate by a particular energy source
This radio runs off batteries.
- run off
- To write something quickly
Shakespeare could run off a play in just a couple of days.
- run off
- To pour or spill off or over
They kept a barrel to store rainwater that has run off the roof.
- run off at the mouth
- To talk incessantly (about something)
- run off with
- To steal or abscond
He ran off with my wallet.
- run off with
- To leave with someone with the intention of living with them or marrying them. Usually in secret because other people think it is wrong
The chief accountant has run off with his secretary!.
- run on
- To operate with a particular energy source
This car runs on bio-alcohol.
- run on
- To continue talking for a long time
She ran on and wouldn't let anyone get a word in edgeways.
- run on
- To continue without interruption
We can't afford for the performance to run on for more than the specified time.
- run on fumes
- By extension, to operate with few resources or little money
The organization had been running on fumes for months, so it's not surprising that they closed their doors.
- run on fumes
- To operate a vehicle that is low on fuel
We were running on fumes by the time we arrived, but we made it to the next gas station.
- run oneself ragged
- To work or exert oneself to the point of exhaustion
He has been running himself ragged all week trying to finish before the deadline.
- run out
- Of a legal right, to expire, to terminate
The option will run out next week and I can't get it extended.
- run out
- To get a batsman out via a run out (see above); or, to be got out in this way
- run out
- To use up; to consume all of something
If this hot weather continues, we will run out of ice cream.
- run out
- To extend a piece of material, or clothing
If I run out these curtains, they will fit the windows in the drawing room.
- run out
- Alternative spelling of runout
- run out of steam
- To run out of energy; to run out of motivation
After two of the team left the project had rather run out of steam.
- run out on
- To leave a partner suddenly and without prior warning
- run out on
- No-one could believe that John had run out on his wife and kids
- run out the clock
- To preserve a lead in a game by retaining possession, to waste time
- run outs
- plural form of run out
- run over
- To exceed the allotted time
The previous presentation ran over and ours had to start late.
- run over
- To score a try
- run over
- To overflow
The bath water nearly ran over.
