WordGarden.iorun
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /rˈʌn/
US
- /ˈrən/
Meanings
Verb
to move quickly on foot, faster than walking
to manage or operate a business, organization, service, or event
to work, function, or continue operating, especially of a machine or system
More meaningsFewer meanings
to execute or use a computer program, command, or process
Noun
a period or instance of running, especially for exercise
a sequence or stretch of connected events, performances, or outcomes
a point scored in baseball or cricket
Beyond the definition
"Run" may look like a simple word, but it is used in many everyday ways. The most common meaning is to move quickly on foot. But a river can run to the sea, a machine can run all day, and a person can run a shop or a team. Your nose might run when you have a cold, and you can run a test to check if something works.
The main idea is movement, flow, or control. A politician can run for office, and you can run into a problem or run out of time. In daily English, this word often shows that something is moving, working, or being managed.
The word "run" has many meanings, and that is why it appears so often in English. Its basic meaning is to move quickly on foot, as in "She ran to catch the bus." This is the meaning many learners meet first, but it is only one part of the story.
"Run" is also used for things that operate or continue to work. Machines run, computers run programs, and factories run day and night. A person can run a business, run a meeting, or run a campaign, which means they are in control of it and make it work.
The word also describes flow or movement in a wider sense. Water runs downhill, tears run down a face, colors can run in the wash, and a nose can run during a cold. In these cases, the idea is not feet or speed, but motion from one place to another.
There are many common expressions with "run" as well. You can run a risk, run an errand, run a test, run into someone by chance, or run out of money, time, or energy. A person can also run for office in an election. Because it can describe movement, operation, management, flow, and many set phrases, "run" is one of the broadest and most useful words in everyday English.
Examples
- 1
Exercise
I usually run in the park before work.
- 2
Quick errand
Can you run to the store and get some bread?
- Patternrun to + place
go quickly to a place for a short purpose
- 3
Public transport
The bus runs every fifteen minutes on weekdays.
- Domain
in transport, when a bus or train runs, it operates on its route
- 4
Meeting duration
The meeting ran longer than we expected.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Business
She runs a small café near the station.
- Patternrun a business
manage it
- 6
Supplies
We’re running low on coffee.
- Patternrun low on + supply
have less and less of it
- 7
Time shortage
I think we’ve run out of time.
- Patternrun out of + supply/time
have none left
- 8
Delay
He was running late, so he called a taxi.
- Phraserun late
be late
- 9
Children
The kids were running around the house all afternoon.
- Phraserun around
move quickly in different directions
- 10
Software
This software won't run on my old laptop.
- Patternrun on + machine/system
work using that machine or system
- 11
Chance meeting
I ran into Maya at the station this morning.
- Patternrun into + person
meet them by chance
- 12
Thoughts
Her name kept running through my mind.
- Phraserun through your mind
keep appearing in your thoughts
- 13
Route or shape
The river runs along the edge of the town.
- Patternroad/river/border runs + direction/place
goes in that direction or along that place
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- runnounverb
Forms
- running-ing formverbnoun
- ranpast tenseverbnoun
- runspluralnounverb