Meaning of run In English

• 0 (of people and some animals) to move along, faster than walking, by taking quick steps in which each foot is lifted before the next foot touches the ground:

  • [ + to infinitive ] The children had to run to keep up with their father.

  • I can run a mile in five minutes.

  • The sheep ran away/off in fright.

  • A little girl ran up to (= came quickly beside) me, crying for her daddy.

  • In the semi-final she will be running against her nearest rival.

  • The first two races will be run (= will happen) in 20 minutes.

  • Thompson Stables are running three horses in the next race.

  • Would you run to the post office and get me some stamps?

  • You don't put on weight when you spend all day running around after small children.

  • I ran for the bus but it drove off.

  • I run on the spot to warm up before I start training.

• 1 to (cause something to) travel, move, or continue in a particular way:

  • Trains are still running, despite the snow.

  • A bus runs (= goes on a particular route at particular times) three times a day into town.

  • Skis are waxed on the bottom so that they run smoothly over the snow.

  • The route/railway/road runs (= goes) across the border/into Italy/through the mountains.

  • A climbing rose bush runs (= grows) up the side of the door.

  • There's a beautiful cornice running around/round all the ceilings.

  • The film runs (= lasts) for two hours.

  • The show/course/film runs (= continues) for another week.

  • A magazine subscription usually only runs (= can be used) for one year.

  • Buses are running an hour late, because of an earlier accident.

  • The truck's brakes failed and it ran (= went) off the road.

  • Trains run on rails (= move along on top of them).

  • Electricity is running through (= moving along within) this cable.

  • An angry muttering ran through (= went through) the crowd.

  • A shiver of fear ran through his (body).

  • She ran her finger along/down the page/list, looking for her name.

  • Could you run the tape/film/video back/forwards, please?

  • Could you possibly run me (= take me in your car) home/to the station?

  • He ran (= pushed) his fingers through his hair and looked up at me.

• 2 to (cause something to) operate:

  • Keep clear of the machines while they're running.

  • The government took desperate measures to keep the economy running.

  • Do you know how to run this sort of machinery?

  • The mechanic asked me to run the engine (= switch it on and allow it to work) for a minute.

  • They had the new computer system up and running (= working) within an hour.

  • We've run the computer program, but nothing happens.

  • We're running (= doing) an experiment.

  • He's been running a restaurant/his own company since he left school.

  • The local college runs (= provides) a course in self-defence.

  • a well-run/badly-run organization/business/course

  • Ruth runs a tight ship and has no time for shirkers.

  • I can't afford to run a car.

  • Some people run their lives according to the movements of the stars.

• 3 to (cause something to) flow or produce liquid :

  • I can feel trickles of sweat running down my neck.

  • Don't cry, or your make-up will run (= become liquid and move down your face).

  • The walls were running with damp.

  • The river runs (down) to/into the sea.

  • The hot tap is running cold (= producing cold water)!

  • I turned the tap on and ran some cold water on the burn.

  • [ + two objects ] I'll run you a hot bath (= fill a bath with water for you).

  • My nose and eyes have been running all week because of hay fever.

  • figurative After twelve hours at her computer, the words began to run into one another (= seem mixed together).

  • I must have washed my dress at too high a temperature, because the colour has run.

  • If the first layer isn't dry before you add the next one, the colours will run into each other (= mix).

• 4 to be or become:

  • Differences between the two sides run deep (= are serious).

  • The river/reservoir/well ran dry (= its supply of water finished).

  • Supplies are running low (= there's not much left).

  • We're beginning to run short of money/Money is beginning to run short (= there's not much left).

• 5 If tights (= thin clothing that covers the legs) run, a long, thin hole appears in them:

  • Oh no, my tights have run!

• 6 to show something in a newspaper or magazine, on television, etc.:

  • All the newspapers ran (= printed) stories about the new peace talks.

  • Channel 4 is running a series on the unfairness of the legal system.

  • What's running at the the Metro this week?

• 7 to compete as a candidate in an election:

  • Mrs Thatcher wanted to run a fourth time.

  • He's going to run against Smith/for president/for re-election.

• 8 to compete as a candidate in an election for a position of authority and responsibility in a government or other organization:

  • She is considering running for office.

• 9 to take guns or drugs illegally from one place to another:

  • He was arrested for running drugs across the border into America.

• 10 the action of running, especially for exercise:

  • We go for/do a three-mile run every evening after work.

  • If you set off at a run (= running), you'll be exhausted later.

• 11 a journey:

  • The number of aircraft on the New York-Moscow run is being increased.

  • old-fashioned Let's go for a run (out) in the car somewhere.

  • The plane swooped in on its bombing run.

  • The musical's London run was a disaster.

  • They're doing a run at the Cambridge Playhouse.

• 12 a situation in which many people suddenly buy a particular product:

  • There's been a run on umbrellas because of all this rain.

• 13 a situation in which many people suddenly sell a particular product:

  • A sudden run on the dollar has lowered its value.

• 14 A run of something is a continuous period during which it lasts or is repeated:

  • a run of successes/defeats/bad luck

• 15 the usual type of something:

  • Their food is the general run of hotel cooking.

• 16 an area of ground of limited size for keeping animals:

  • a sheep/chicken/hen run

• 17 in cricket and baseball, a single point, scored by running from one place to another:

  • England need 105 runs to win the game.

  • a home run

• 18 a long, vertical hole in tights and stockings:

  • I've got a run in my tights from the nail on my chair.

• 19 a condition of the bowels in which the contents are passed out of the body too often and in a form that is too liquid

• 20 to move your legs faster than when walking, with the weight of your body pressing forward:

  • [ I ] They ran for the bus and got there just in time.

  • [ T ] Hugh runs five miles a day.

  • [ I ] We want a place with a big backyard with room for the kids to run around.

  • [ I ] fig. I’ve got to run now (= hurry away) because I’m late for my appointment.

• 21 to travel or go, to move something, or to be positioned in a particular way:

  • [ I ] The bus runs three times a day between here and Albuquerque.

  • [ I ] I’m going to run down to the bank to cash my check.

  • [ I ] Trains are running twenty minutes late because of the weather.

  • [ I ] The car skidded on the ice and ran off the road.

  • [ I ] A shiver of fear ran through her.

  • [ T ] John said he’d run me back to school (= take me there in his car).

  • [ I ] A deep creek runs through the property.

  • [ I ] The road runs along the coast.

  • [ T ] She ran her fingers along the edge of the desk.

  • [ T ] He ran a comb through his hair.

  • [ T ] Our taxi ran a red light and a truck rammed us in the side.

• 22 to manage or operate something:

  • [ T ] She runs the business out of her home.

  • [ I ] She left the engine running while she went into the store.

  • [ T ] Can you run both of these programs at once?

  • [ T ] They’re running tests on his heart functions.

  • [ I ] Some calculators run on solar power .

• 23 to cause a liquid to flow, or to produce a liquid that flows:

  • [ T ] He ran a little cold water into the sink.

  • [ I ] He has a cold and his nose is running.

  • [ I ] Tears were running down her face.

• 24 (of colors) to come out of material and mix with other colors, so that the original colors are lost:

  • If you wash the dress in hot water, the colors will run.

• 25 to try to get elected; be a candidate:

  • Kutukas ran unsuccessfully for sheriff.

• 26 to be, become, or continue in a particular way:

  • [ L ] The doctor is running a bit late.

  • [ L ] We’re running low on gas.

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] Inflation is running at 4%.

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] The show ran on Broadway for six weeks before closing.

• 27 to show something in a newspaper or magazine, or on television:

  • Both parties are already running campaign ads.

• 28 (of cloth, esp. stockings (= thin, tight-fitting clothing for a woman’s feet and legs)) to develop a long vertical hole:

  • My stockings ran!

• 29 (in baseball) a single point, scored by touching each of the four bases (= positions on a square) in the correct order

• 30 a long, vertical hole in particular types of cloth, esp. stockings (= thin, tight-fitting clothing for a woman’s feet and legs)

• 31 a trip:

  • The train made its final run in 1986.

• 32 a period during which something happens or continues:

  • The movie starts a two-week run tonight.

• 33 to operate, or make something operate:

  • Keep clear of the fans while they're running.

  • Do you know how to run this sort of machinery?

  • We've run the computer program, but nothing happens.

• 34 to be in control of or manage something:

  • He's been running his own company since he left school.

  • She left me to run the store while she went on her lunch break.

  • well-run/poorly-run

  • government-run/family-run/student-run The restaurant is a family-run business.

  • privately-run/publicly-run/professionally-run

• 35 to travel or move in a particular way, or cause something to do this:

  • Trains are still running, despite the snow.

  • A bus runs into town three times a day.

  • We're running four more trains than usual to accommodate the high number of passengers.

• 36 to continue or happen, or cause something to continue or happen in a particular way:

  • A magazine subscription usually runs for one year.

  • We'll be running the course for another year.

  • run smoothly/run according to plan To ensure that these projects run smoothly, executives are now encouraged to attend training courses.

• 37 to take something to a person or place:

  • run sth over/out/down, etc. to sb/sth Can you run these orders over to the warehouse, please?

• 38 to be or continue at or near a particular level:

  • run at sth Inflation has been running at 2% for the past year.

  • Supplies are running low.

• 39 to show something in a newspaper or magazine, on television, etc.:

  • run a story/article/piece

  • They ran the advertisement on all the major networks for a month.

• 40 to try to be elected to government or other position in an election:

  • run for sth He ran for state Attorney General in 2010.

  • Meyers decided to run for office again the following year.

  • run against sb She is running against a multi-millionaire businessman.

• 41 to look through records to find out facts about someone or something:

  • We run background checks on all prospective employees.

• 42 to perform a scientific examination to determine if something works, someone is healthy, etc.:

  • We ran performance tests on the preproduction machine, which performed well.

  • Doctors ran tests to try to determine if the workers' health problems were work-related.

• 43 if a government runs a deficit or surplus, it has less or more money in its accounts than it needs:

  • The previous government was happy to run a huge deficit for years.

• 44 to be in a situation in which there is the possibility that something bad might happen:

  • A company without good customer service runs the risk of losing its customers' good will.

• 45 to control a business or other organization firmly and effectively:

  • The woman who manages the post room runs a very tight ship.

• 46 to look quickly at the whole of something:

  • Would you mind running your eye over this agreement before I sign it?

• 47 to be unable to get to a place by the agreed or expected time