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Definition of run verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

run

verb
 
 
/rʌn/
 
/rʌn/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they run
 
/rʌn/
 
/rʌn/
he / she / it runs
 
/rʌnz/
 
/rʌnz/
past simple ran
 
/ræn/
 
/ræn/
past participle run
 
/rʌn/
 
/rʌn/
-ing form running
 
/ˈrʌnɪŋ/
 
/ˈrʌnɪŋ/
Idioms Phrasal Verbs
jump to other results

    move fast on foot

  1.  
     [intransitive] to move using your legs, going faster than when you walk
    • Can you run as fast as Mike?
    • They turned and ran when they saw us coming.
    • She came running to meet us.
    • I had to run to catch the bus.
    • + adv./prep. The dogs ran off as soon as we appeared.
    • He ran home in tears to his mother.
    • The children spent the morning running around in the park.
    • She can run really fast.
    In spoken English run can be used with and plus another verb, instead of with to and the infinitive, especially to tell somebody to hurry and do something: Run and get your swimsuits, kids. • I ran and knocked on the nearest door.
    Extra Examples
    • John can run very fast.
    • He ran out of the house.
    • She ran quickly downstairs.
    • She turned and ran blindly down the street.
    • Alan was running for a bus when he slipped on some ice.
    • Billy turned the corner and ran headlong into Mrs Bradley.
    • They've seen us! Run for your life!
    • The boy went running off to get the ball.
    Topics Health and Fitnessa1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • fast
    • quickly
    • blindly
    • …
    verb + run
    • begin to
    • start to
    • get up and
    • …
    preposition
    • down
    • into
    • out of
    • …
    See full entry
  2.  
     [transitive] run something to travel a particular distance by running
    • Who was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes?
    • I ran four miles today.
    see also mile
  3.  
     [intransitive]
    (sometimes go running)
    to run as a sport
    • She used to run when she was at college.
    • I often go running before work.
    • Try to run round the block a few times every morning.
    4.

    race

  4.  
     [intransitive, transitive] to take part in a race
    • run in something He will be running in the 100 metres tonight.
    • There are only five horses running in the first race.
    • run something to run a marathon
    • Farah ran a fine race to take the gold medal.
    see also runner (1)
  5. [transitive, often passive] run something to make a race take place
    • The Derby will be run in spite of the bad weather.
    6.

    hurry

  6. [intransitive] + adv./prep. to hurry from one place to another
    • I've spent the whole day running around after the kids.
    see also rat run

    7. manage

  7.  
     [transitive] run something to be in charge of a business, campaign, etc.
    • to run a hotel/store/language school
    • He has no idea how to run a business.
    • Stop trying to run my life (= organize it) for me.
    • The shareholders want more say in how the company is run.
    • a badly run company
    • Both candidates have run a good campaign.
    • state-run industries
    see also running (2)
    Extra Examples
    • The school is jointly run with the local parish.
    • He tried to run the restaurant himself, but soon got into financial difficulties.
    • It is a small, privately run hotel.
    • The office had never been so well run.
    • Who is running the event?
    Topics Businessb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • efficiently
    • properly
    • well
    • …
    verb + run
    • try to
    • manage to
    • help (to)
    • …
    See full entry
    8.

    provide

  8.  
     [transitive] run something to make a service, course of study, etc. available to people synonym organize
    • The college runs summer courses for foreign students.
    • The programme will be jointly run with NASA in the US.
    Extra Examples
    • The college runs several English classes for adults.
    • They ran a series of lectures on the subject.
    • Volunteer counsellors run a 24-hour helpline.
    9.

    buses/trains

  9.  
     [intransitive] to travel on a particular route
    • Buses to Oxford run every half hour.
    • + adv./prep. All the trains are running late (= are leaving later than planned).
    • Trains between London and Brighton run throughout the day.
    Extra Examples
    • Local buses run regularly to and from the school.
    • He claimed that 95 per cent of trains run on time.
    • When does the London Underground stop running at night?
    Topics Transport by bus and trainb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • regularly
    • late
    preposition
    • between
    • from
    • to
    • …
    See full entry
  10. [transitive] to make buses, trains, etc. travel on a particular route
    • run something + adv./prep. They run extra trains during the rush hour.
    • The transport company is concerned about the cost of running more buses.
    11.

    vehicle/machine

  11.  
     [intransitive, transitive] to operate or function; to make something do this
    • Stan had the chainsaw running.
    • run on something Our van runs on (= uses) diesel.
    • run something Could you run the engine for a moment?
    Extra Examples
    • The engine was running very smoothly.
    • Our car only runs on unleaded petrol.
    Topics Computersb2, Engineeringb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • efficiently
    • smoothly
    • continuously
    • …
    preposition
    • on
    phrases
    • be up and running
    See full entry
  12.  
     [intransitive, transitive] when a computer program or system runs or somebody runs it, it operates
    • You may find that some apps are running slowly.
    • There are too many programs running on your computer.
    • You need to have antivirus software running on your PC.
    • The app runs on all Android devices.
    • run something You can run the program overnight.
    • My PC runs Windows 10.
    • Don't forget to run a final spellcheck.
    • What applications were you running when the problem occurred?
    Topics Computersb2
  13. [intransitive, transitive] if a recording on a tape runs or somebody runs it, it plays
    • He didn't know the tape was still running.
    • run something Run the tape, please.
    • run something + adv./prep. Can you run the tape back a few minutes?
  14. [transitive] run something (British English) to own and use a vehicle or machine
    • I can't afford to run a car on my salary.
    15.

    drive somebody

  15. [transitive] run somebody + adv./prep. (informal) to drive somebody to a place in a car
    • Shall I run you home?
    • Would you mind running me to the shops?
    Topics Transport by car or lorryc2

    16. move somewhere

  16.  
     [intransitive] + adv./prep. to move, especially quickly, in a particular direction
    • The car ran off the road into a ditch.
    • A shiver ran down my spine.
    • The sledge ran smoothly over the frozen snow.
    • The old tramlines are still there but now no trams run on them.
  17.  
     [transitive] run something + adv./prep. to move something in a particular direction
    • She ran her fingers nervously through her hair.
    • I ran my eyes over the page.
    18.

    lead/stretch

  18.  
     [intransitive, transitive] to lead or stretch from one place to another; to make something do this
    • + adv./prep. He had a scar running down his left cheek.
    • The road runs parallel to the river.
    • The railway line runs right past the house.
    • run something The bookcase runs the length of the room.
    • run something + adv./prep. We ran a cable from the lights to the stage.
    19.

    liquid

  19.  
     [intransitive] + adv./prep. to flow
    • The tears ran down her cheeks.
    • Water was running all over the bathroom floor.
  20. [transitive] to make liquid flow
    • run something (into something) She ran hot water into the bucket.
    • to run the hot tap (= to turn it so that water flows from it)
    • run something for somebody I'll run a bath for you.
    • run somebody something I'll run you a bath.
  21.  
     [intransitive] to send out a liquid
    • Who left the tap running?
    • Your nose is running (= mucus is flowing from it).
    • The smoke makes my eyes run.
  22. [intransitive] (usually used in the progressive tenses) run with something to be covered with a liquid
    • His face was running with sweat.
    • The bathroom floor was running with water.
    23.

    of colour

  23. [intransitive] if the colour runs in a piece of clothing, etc. when it gets wet, the colour comes out of the material and spreads into other pieces of clothing, etc. in the same water
    • The colour ran and made all my underwear pink.
    Topics Colours and Shapesc2

    24. melt

  24. [intransitive] (of a solid substance) to melt
    • The wax began to run.
    see also runny

    25. be/become

  25.  
     [intransitive] + adj. to become different in a particular way, especially a bad way
    • The river ran dry (= stopped flowing) during the drought.
    • Supplies are running low.
    • We understand that feelings are running high on this issue
    • We've run short of milk.
    • You've got your rivals running scared.
  26. [intransitive] run at something to be at or near a particular level
    • Inflation was running at 26 per cent.
    27.

    continue for time

  27. [intransitive] to continue for a particular period of time without stopping
    • run for something Her last musical ran for six months on Broadway.
    • run from A to B The course runs from June 25th to August 27th.
    • This debate will run and run!
  28. [intransitive] run (for something) to operate or be legally acceptable for a particular period of time
    • The permit runs for three months.
    • The lease on my house only has a year left to run.
    29.

    happen

  29. [intransitive] (usually used in the progressive tenses) to happen or progress at the time or in the way mentioned
    • + adv./prep. Programmes are running a few minutes behind schedule this evening.
    • Everything is running according to plan.
    • Her life had always run smoothly before.
    • The murderer was given three life sentences, to run concurrently.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • smoothly
    • concurrently
    • consecutively
    • …
    See full entry
    30.

    in election

  30.  
     [intransitive] to be a candidate in an election for a political position, especially in the US
    • Obama ran a second time in 2012.
    • run for somebody/something Hilary Clinton ran for president in 2016.
    • He ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in New York.
    • run in something She is planning to run in the parliamentary election.
    compare standTopics Politicsb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • successfully
    • unsuccessfully
    preposition
    • for
    See full entry
    31.

    guns, drugs, etc.

  31. [transitive] to bring or take something into a country illegally and secretly synonym smuggle
    • run something + adv./prep. He used to run guns across the border.
    • She made money by running drugs.
    see also runnerTopics Crime and punishmentc2

    32. of story/argument

  32. [intransitive, transitive] to have particular words, contents, etc.
    • Their argument ran something like this…
    • + speech ‘Ten shot dead by gunmen,’ ran the newspaper headline.
    33.

    of newspaper/magazine

  33. [transitive] run something to print and publish an item or a story
    • On advice from their lawyers they decided not to run the story.
    34.

    a test/check

  34. [transitive] run a test, a check, an experiment, etc. to do a test, an experiment, etc.
    • run something on something The doctors decided to run some more tests on the blood samples.
    • run something The two experiments are run in parallel.
    • The company is running clinical trials of the new drug.
    35.

    of tights/stockings

  35. [intransitive] (North American English) if tights or stockings run, a long thin hole appears in them synonym ladder
    36. Word OriginOld English rinnan, irnan (verb), of Germanic origin, probably reinforced in Middle English by Old Norse rinna, renna. The current form with -u- in the present tense is first recorded in the 16th cent.
Idioms Most idioms containing run are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example run riot is at riot. 
come running
  1. to be pleased to do what somebody wants
    • She knew she had only to call and he would come running.
run for it
  1. (often used in orders) to run in order to escape from somebody/something
run roughshod over somebody (US English usually)
(especially British English ride, etc. roughshod over somebody)
  1. to treat somebody badly and not worry about their feelings
up and running
  1. working fully and correctly
    • It will be a lot easier when we have the database up and running.
    • We soon had the sound system up and running.
See run in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee run in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: run

Nearby words

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noun
 
 
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