Collins English-English Dictionary

run [r^n]

1. 1. vi. [intr] (of a two-legged creature) to move on foot at a rapid pace so that both feet are off the ground together for part of each stride

2. 2. vi. (of a four-legged creature) to move at a rapid gait; gallop or canter

3. 3. vt. [tr] to pass over (a distance, route, etc) in running

   to run a mile

   run a race

4. 4. vi. [intr] to run in or finish a race as specified, esp in a particular position

   John is running third

5. 5. vt. [tr] to perform or accomplish by or as if by running

   to run an errand

6. 6. vi. [intr] to flee; run away

   they took to their heels and ran

7. 7. vt. [tr] to bring into a specified state or condition by running

   to run oneself to a standstill

8. 8. vt. [tr] to track down or hunt (an animal)

   to run a fox to earth

9. 9. vi. [intr] to move about freely and without restraint

   the children are running in the garden

10. 10. vi. [intr; usually foll by to] to go or have recourse, as for aid, assistance, etc

    he's always running to his mother when he's in trouble

11. 11. vt. [tr] to set (animals) loose on (a field or tract of land) so as to graze freely

12. 12. vi. [intr; often foll by over, round or up] to make a short trip or brief informal visit

    I'll run over to your house this afternoon

13. 13. vi. to move quickly and easily on wheels by rolling, or in any of certain other ways

    a ball running along the ground

    a sledge running over snow

14. 14. vi. to move or cause to move with a specified result or in a specified manner

    to run a ship aground

    to run into a tree

15. 15. vi. [often foll by over] to move or pass or cause to move or pass quickly

    to run a vacuum cleaner over the carpet

    to run one's eyes over a page

16. 16. vt. [tr; foll by into, out of, through, etc] to force, thrust, or drive

    she ran a needle into her finger

17. 17. vt. [tr] to drive or maintain and operate (a vehicle)

18. 18. vt. [tr] to give a lift to (someone) in a vehicle; transport

    he ran her to the railway station

19. 19. vt. to ply or cause to ply between places on a route

    the bus runs from Piccadilly to Golders Green

20. 20. vt. to operate or be operated; function or cause to function

    the engine is running smoothly

21. 21. vt. [tr] to perform or carry out

    to run tests

22. 22. vt. [tr] to be in charge of; manage

    to run a company

23. 23. vt. to extend or continue or cause to extend or continue in a particular direction, for a particular duration or distance, etc

    the road runs north

    the play ran for two years

    the months ran into years

24. 24. vi. [intr] [law] to have legal force or effect

    the lease runs for two more years

25. 25. vi. to accompany; be an integral part of or adjunct to

    an easement runs with the land

26. 26. vt. [tr] to be subjected to, be affected by, or incur

    to run a risk

    run a temperature

27. 27. vi. [intr; often foll by to] to be characterized (by); tend or incline

    her taste runs to extravagant hats

    to run to fat

28. 28. vi. [intr] to recur persistently or be inherent

    red hair runs in my family

29. 29. vi. to cause or allow (liquids) to flow or (of liquids) to flow, esp in a manner specified

    water ran from the broken pipe

    the well has run dry

30. 30. vi. [intr] to melt and flow

    the wax grew hot and began to run

31. 31. vi. [metallurgy] to melt or fuse

32. 32. vt. [tr] to mould or cast (molten metal)

    to run lead into ingots

33. 33. vi. [intr] (of waves, tides, rivers, etc) to rise high, surge, or be at a specified height

    a high sea was running that night

34. 34. vi. [intr] to be diffused

    the colours in my dress ran when I washed it

35. 35. vi. [intr] (of stitches) to unravel or come undone or (of a garment) to have stitches unravel or come undone

    if you pull that thread the whole seam will run

36. 36. vi. to sew (an article) with continuous stitches

37. 37. vi. [intr] (of growing vines, creepers, etc) to trail, spread, or climb

    ivy running over a cottage wall

38. 38. vi. [intr] to spread or circulate quickly

    a rumour ran through the town

39. 39. vi. [intr] to be stated or reported

    his story runs as follows

40. 40. vi. to publish or print or be published or printed in a newspaper, magazine, etc

    they ran his story in the next issue

41. 41. vi. [often foll by for] [chiefly US and Canadian] to be a candidate or present as a candidate for political or other office

    Anderson is running for president

42. 42. vt. [tr] to get past or through; evade

    to run a blockade

43. 43. vt. [tr] to deal in (arms, etc), esp by importing illegally

    he runs guns for the rebels

44. 44. vt. [nautical] to sail (a vessel, esp a sailing vessel) or (of such a vessel) to be sailed with the wind coming from astern

45. 45. vi. [intr] to migrate upstream from the sea, esp in order to spawn

46. 46. vi. to swim rapidly in any area of water, esp during migration

47. 47. vt. [tr] [cricket] to score (a run or number of runs) by hitting the ball and running between the wickets

48. 48. vt. [tr] [billiards] [snooker] to make (a number of successful shots) in sequence

49. 49. vt. [tr] [golf] to hit (the ball) so that it rolls along the ground

50. 50. vt. [tr] [bridge] to cash (all one's winning cards in a long suit) successively

51. 51. n an act, instance, or period of running

52. 52. n a gait, pace, or motion faster than a walk

    she went off at a run

53. 53. n a distance covered by running or a period of running

    a run of ten miles

54. 54. n an act, instance, or period of travelling in a vehicle, esp for pleasure

    to go for a run in the car

55. 55. n free and unrestricted access

    we had the run of the house and garden for the whole summer

56. 56. n a period of time during which a machine, computer, etc, operates

57. 57. n the amount of work performed in such a period

58. 58. n a continuous or sustained period

    a run of good luck

59. 59. n a continuous sequence of performances

    the play had a good run

60. 60. n [cards] a sequence of winning cards in one suit, usually more than five

    a run of spades

61. 61. n tendency or trend

    the run of the market

62. 62. n type, class, or category

    the usual run of graduates

63. 63. n [usually foll by on] a continuous and urgent demand

    a run on butter

    a run on the dollar

64. 64. n a series of unravelled stitches, esp in stockings or tights; ladder

65. 65. n the characteristic pattern or direction of something

    the run of the grain on a piece of wood

66. 66. n a continuous vein or seam of ore, coal, etc

67. 67. n the direction in which it lies

68. 68. n a period during which water or other liquid flows

69. 69. n the amount of such a flow

70. 70. n a pipe, channel, etc, through which water or other liquid flows

71. 71. n [US] a small stream

72. 72. n a steeply inclined pathway or course, esp a snow-covered one used for skiing and bobsleigh racing - See also green run blue run red run black run

73. 73. n an enclosure for domestic fowls or other animals, in which they have free movement

    a chicken run

74. 74. n (esp in Australia and New Zealand) a tract of land for grazing livestock

75. 75. n a track or area frequented by animals

    a deer run

    a rabbit run

76. 76. n a group of animals of the same species moving together

77. 77. n the migration of fish upstream in order to spawn

78. 78. n [nautical] the tack of a sailing vessel in which the wind comes from astern

79. 79. n part of the hull of a vessel near the stern where it curves upwards and inwards

80. 80. n [Military] a mission in a warplane

81. 81. n short for bombing run

82. 82. n the movement of an aircraft along the ground during takeoff or landing

83. 83. n [music] a rapid scalelike passage of notes

84. 84. n [cricket] a score of one, normally achieved by both batsmen running from one end of the wicket to the other after one of them has hit the ball - Compare extra boundary

85. 85. n [Baseball] an instance of a batter touching all four bases safely, thereby scoring

86. 86. n [golf] the distance that a ball rolls after hitting the ground

87. 87. n See also runabout run across run after run along run around run away run down run in run into run off run on run out run over run through run to run up run with

88. 88. n [Etymology] Old English runnen, past participle of (ge)rinnan; related to Old Frisian, Old Norse rinna, Old Saxon, Gothic, Old High German rinnan