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to run

to run

536 5.9
To be between two amounts or limits
  • verb
  • /rʌn/
: tender a
  • You know, the same theme runs in country after country.
  • run counter to
  • run deep
  • run contrary to

Goods cannot but run true to type, he says.

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Examples

  • So a lot of people are letting life run them into the ground.

  • Yet the rural plains have endured long-running population loss and decline of services.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Yeah, it runs in your jeans.

  • The assumptions of the modern mindset run throughout the whole of modern education.

    Academic text (1992)
  • However, focusing on early reading needs is insufficient because these students' needs run deeper and teachers' responsibilities wider.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Mental health issues often run in families, affecting multiple generations.

  • She has always felt that creativity runs in her family, as many relatives are artists.

  • The tradition of storytelling runs deep in their culture, passed down through generations.

Synonyms

to tend
vsto run
∞ 1.9

To often do something or behave in a certain way

is about a consistent quality existing rather than repeated behaviour
to lean
vsto run
269 3.7

To tend to support one choice or opinion

describes a lasting characteristic rather than reliance or orientation
to incline
vsto run
6 4.1

To be likely to do something or to make someone feel that way

is about a persistent characteristic rather than personal willingness

Antonyms

∞ 1.3

Not having something you need or want

To stop something that is happening or being given

Idioms

Something many members of the same family have

For a short time without thinking about long-term effects

Over a long time into the future

11 5.4

Manage a group or organization strictly to keep it working well

10 5.6

To leave a place quickly to escape danger or trouble

9 3.4

To have a big success people do not expect

to run on fumes
  • Informal
8 7.5

To keep working with very little energy or money left

To face many difficult questions or strong criticism

To do something that might lead to harm or loss

6 4.6

To be much better than someone at doing something

to run the table
  • Informal
5 7.3

Win every game or match in a series without losing any

4 8.1

Feel sudden, strong fear or shock

4 7.3

To move quickly and attack often in sports or games

4 8.5

To act in a risky way without thinking about the bad results

4 8.4

Talk too much and say things you should not

2 8.1

To feel very excited about something and then lose interest often

to run a mile
  • Informal
2 7.1

Move away quickly to avoid something you are afraid of

To make someone very busy and tired with too much work

1 3.9

To move very fast with great energy

A score by a team while the other team controls the game

1 3.9

Get away very quickly to avoid being hurt

Move quickly from place to place trying to solve many urgent problems

Start with basic skills before trying harder tasks

Act in a confused or uncontrolled way because of strong emotion

To support two opposite sides at the same time to please both

to run amain
  • Archaic
9.9

To move very fast on foot to get somewhere quickly

6.7

A serious challenge that makes success difficult

A stream or river that flows very little because it is dry

Work very well and smoothly after being fixed or updated

9.9

Manage and look after a business

To support two opposite sides at the same time

Phrasal Verbs

907 1.6

To leave secretly and quickly to get away from danger or control

758 1.9

Use all of something so none is left

622 1.9

Have no more of something because you used it all

556 2.7

Meet someone by chance without planning

361 2.0

Leave a place suddenly, often to avoid someone or something

to run off
  • Informal
353 3.7

To leave a place or person suddenly, often without saying goodbye

to run away from
  • Informal
206 2.9

To avoid dealing with a problem or responsibility

148 2.6

Experience a problem or difficulty unexpectedly

144 2.9

Stop being valid after a set time

Not enough time left to finish something

127 3.7

To use a particular fuel or source for power

123 1.1

To play and move quickly in different directions while making noise

114 2.2

To arrive later than planned or expected

100 3.3

A vehicle drives over a person or animal causing injury

Practice something to check for mistakes

To leave quickly with something stolen or taken without permission

to run the show
  • Informal
58 4.1

To be in charge of an activity or group

47 4.0

Owe a lot of money quickly

46 3.9

Act without control or limits

41 2.5

To have only a small amount left

40 4.7

Make someone or something go away

39 2.7

Find something by chance while doing something else

35 5.3

To try to escape quickly, often by running

32 2.5

To flow down a surface like water on a window

31 4.5

Have very strong feelings or tension

29 2.3

Hit something by accident while moving

to run scared
  • Informal
26 5.7

Act in a nervous way because you are afraid or feel pressure

24 7.5

To act wildly and cause chaos

24 5.6

To find the source of something by checking facts

To run for exercise often as a regular activity to get fit and feel relaxed

21 1.3

To move quickly past someone or let a chance go by without acting

19 4.2

To use up something so none is left, for example ideas

To take part in a long race on foot of about 26 miles

19 2.8

To last for a period of time

to got to run
  • Informal
19 3.5

Have to leave immediately or very soon

Leave a place quickly because people are angry or you are in trouble

17 1.0

To pass close to a person or place while moving quickly on foot

17 3.7

To have very little of something left

17 2.8

To keep going for longer than expected without stopping

To spread quickly, get out of control, and cause harm

16 6.5

To damage something by using it too much or managing it badly

15 7.9

To get into trouble for breaking rules or laws

15 5.5

To hit and pass over a person or animal with a vehicle

14 7.9

To get into trouble with rules or people in charge

To get a boat or ship stuck in shallow water near the shore

13 2.5

To be in a line next to something, like a road

to run on
  • Informal
13 5.0

To talk for a long time without stopping, often giving too many details

12 5.6

Raise a flag or sail by pulling on ropes

10 4.8

To quickly say the main points

9 6.5

To spend time casually with people who may cause trouble

9 5.6

Hold a second vote or match between top candidates to decide the winner

9 1.3

Water or other liquid flows out of a container by accident

9 1.1

To become difficult to control or stop, for example prices

9 2.9

Flow away from a surface into drains or rivers

To move quickly down the stairs to a lower floor

8 4.8

To lose energy or enthusiasm and stop working well

To go quickly around a town to do errands

to run ragged
  • Informal
8 6.3

To make someone very tired by giving them too much to do

7 3.2

To use up batteries, money or supplies until little remains

7 1.4

To move around quickly and energetically without a clear purpose

To go quickly to a shop to buy something you need

To act without care for other people or their rights

5 4.1

To follow and catch a person, animal or vehicle

Use up money or supplies quickly and wastefully

to run bases
  • Specialized
5 3.4

To move around all four bases on a baseball field to score, usually after hitting the ball

To suddenly start running, often after walking or standing still

2 5.8

Behave in a wild way without control

2 3.7

To stop having any water, like a river or well

2 7.5

Make someone very tired by giving them too much work

2 3.2

A liquid flows over the top of its container

1 3.4

Make copies of a document using a photocopier

To have almost no fuel left in a car

Use extra time on purpose so the other side cannot act

Compounds

195 3.2

A long time when you see the final result of actions

186 2.3

A hit that lets the batter run all the bases and score a run

71 3.7

A road accident where the driver leaves without stopping to help or give details

51 5.4

A vehicle crash caused by a driver who leaves without helping or saying who they are

47 4.2

Happening over a long time, not just now

30 4.1

Lasting for a short time, not long-term

run-of-the-mill
  • Informal
29 3.3

Ordinary and not special

29 3.4

A period when a person, team, or company has a lot of success

home run
  • Informal
27 2.5

A very successful result that achieves its goal

15 3.2

A short test to see if something works well before real use

14 4.2

A complete rehearsal of a play or presentation without stopping

13 4.1

A practice session before an event to check for problems

end run
  • US
12 7.6

A way of avoiding a rule or decision by acting cleverly

earned run
  • Specialized
9 6.3

A run charged to the pitcher when the other team makes no fielding error or passed ball

8 5.9

A sudden rise in prices or values over a short time

7 7.7

An indirect way to avoid a rule or problem

7 2.1

A short race people run for fun or to raise money for charity

6 1.0

A short jog in the morning to exercise and wake up

bombing run
  • Specialized
6 7.3

The part of a plane's mission when it approaches a target and drops weapons on it

6 6.1

A quick attack where the attackers leave immediately

5 7.5

One of two major Civil War battles that took place near a creek in Virginia

beer run
  • Informal
5 7.2

A quick trip to buy beer before a party or gathering

4 7.0

Many customers try to take out their money from a bank because they fear it will fail

earned run average
  • Specialized
4 6.5

Average number of runs a pitcher allows in nine innings, not counting runs after fielding mistakes

A sentence that joins more than one full idea without proper punctuation or connecting words

print run
  • Literature
3 3.7

The number of copies made for one edition of a magazine, book or newspaper

run-time
  • Specialized
3 4.2

The time when a computer program runs on a device

An early Civil War battle in Virginia where Confederate forces defeat Union troops

ski run
  • UK
2 2.9

A slope prepared and kept for people to ski on

run batted in
  • Specialized
2 5.3

A score given to a batter when their hit lets another player reach home

unearned run
  • Jargon
1 6.5

A run scored because a defensive player made a mistake, not from the batter's play

1 4.2

A quick approach an athlete makes to gain speed before a jump or throw

A major early Civil War battle fought in July 1861 near Manassas, Virginia that the Confederate army won

To steal something quickly and run away

press run
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A period when a printing press makes one set of newspapers or magazines

run of play
  • Jargon
1 6.1

The normal action during a game not counting set pieces like free kicks or penalties

run-of-the-mine
  • Informal
1 7.2

Common and not special

1 2.2

An enclosed outdoor area where chickens live and move

1 5.5

A practice test to find and fix problems before the real event

run-in
  • Informal
1 5.2

An angry argument with someone

1 6.9

A creek in northeastern Virginia where two Civil War battles took place

end run
  • Jargon
1 6.5

An attempt to move the ball by running around the end of the line in American football

run-time error
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A problem that happens while a program is running because of wrong data or bad instructions

nudie run
  • NSFW
1 9.9

To run naked in public as a joke or dare

mine run
  • Archaic
1 8.4

Not special or interesting

split run
  • Jargon
1 8.1

A set of newspaper or magazine copies with some pages changed for different areas

1 3.6

A path that many people or vehicles use regularly

pit run
  • Specialized
1 7.9

Gravel taken directly from a pit or quarry with mixed stone sizes

pit-run gravel
  • Specialized
1 7.4

A loose mix of small stones and sand taken from a gravel pit and used as is

Chinese home run
  • Informal
9.0

A surprising and very large success

6.2

An enclosed yard where chickens or ducks are kept

rat run
  • UK
8.1

A narrow hidden path people use to go somewhere faster

tip-and-run
  • Jargon
8.6

A brief attack followed by a rapid retreat

How Common

to run
536 5.9
to tend
∞ 1.9

Surface Forms

run infinitive
running present participle
runs third person singular
ran past
run past participle

Etymology

Run meaning 'have a tendency' comes from the image of a line that goes from one point to another, so when prices 'run' from low to high they cover a range.