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to run

to run

85 2.3
To move a hand or object gently along a surface
  • verb
  • /rʌn/
translation icon : pasar (el dedo/la mano) por
  • And I'm just going to run this along my lash line.
  • run your finger along
  • run your hand over

Oh, that looks pretty and I'm going to run that over my lid.

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Examples

  • Opening the directory to the Ws, she ran her finger down the column.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • You can run your fingers over the smooth surface of the fabric.

  • So you need a channel for you to run your tie through.

  • I said put it on your fingers and run it through.

  • So simply take your hand and run it down his leg if you feel a bump.

  • Run your finger over the display.

  • And we are going to take a little bit of soft brown and run this through the crease.

  • I'm just going to take the wet brush and gently run my brush right through the curls.

  • Whatever shade you've used, just lightly run it through the crease of the eye.

  • Please run the brush through your hair to untangle it.

Synonyms

to draw
vsto run
270 1.0

Pull something out of a place or container

involves moving something over or through surfaces, not pulling out
to glide
vsto run
89 2.9

To move smoothly and without effort through the air or over a surface

involves moving something rather than effortless self motion
to skip
vsto run
20 2.7

To make a flat stone bounce across the surface of water

describes smooth movement rather than bouncing or repeated contact
slide
vsto run
5 1.0

A smooth movement along a surface while staying in contact

is not limited to maintaining continuous contact with the surface
to pass over
vsto run
1 3.7

To move something gently over a surface

moves something lightly or smoothly without the sweeping or circular action
to skim
vsto run
1 2.9

Move quickly and lightly across the surface of water

is gentler and not necessarily as fast as that quick motion
to skim over
vsto run
1 3.9

To move quickly and lightly just above a surface

is more general and does not require swift, near-surface motion

Idioms

Something many members of the same family have

25 3.9

Get away very quickly to avoid being hurt

For a short time without thinking about long-term effects

17 3.4

To have a big success people do not expect

14 6.7

A serious challenge that makes success difficult

to run on fumes
  • Informal
8 7.5

To keep working with very little energy or money left

7 5.4

Manage a group or organization strictly to keep it working well

7 5.6

To leave a place quickly to escape danger or trouble

6 4.6

To be much better than someone at doing something

Over a long time into the future

3 8.4

Talk too much and say things you should not

3 8.1

Feel sudden, strong fear or shock

To face many difficult questions or strong criticism

To do something that might lead to harm or loss

1 8.1

To feel very excited about something and then lose interest often

to run the table
  • Informal
1 7.3

Win every game or match in a series without losing any

1 7.3

To move quickly and attack often in sports or games

to run a mile
  • Informal
1 7.1

Move away quickly to avoid something you are afraid of

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

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

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

To make someone very busy and tired with too much work

3.9

To move very fast with great energy

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

8.5

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

To support two opposite sides at the same time

Phrasal Verbs

937 1.9

Use all of something so none is left

646 1.9

Have no more of something because you used it all

550 1.6

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

338 2.7

Meet someone by chance without planning

274 2.6

Experience a problem or difficulty unexpectedly

to run off
  • Informal
260 3.7

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

217 1.1

To play and move quickly in different directions while making noise

142 3.7

To use a particular fuel or source for power

Not enough time left to finish something

93 1.1

To become difficult to control or stop, for example prices

93 3.3

A vehicle drives over a person or animal causing injury

to run away from
  • Informal
92 2.9

To avoid dealing with a problem or responsibility

88 2.9

Stop being valid after a set time

86 2.2

To arrive later than planned or expected

84 1.0

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

84 2.8

To last for a period of time

78 2.0

Leave a place suddenly, often to avoid someone or something

75 2.3

Hit something by accident while moving

to run the show
  • Informal
58 4.1

To be in charge of an activity or group

to got to run
  • Informal
51 3.5

Have to leave immediately or very soon

To leave quickly with something stolen or taken without permission

43 2.7

Find something by chance while doing something else

to run on
  • Informal
38 5.0

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

36 5.3

To try to escape quickly, often by running

33 3.9

Act without control or limits

32 4.0

Owe a lot of money quickly

31 2.5

To flow down a surface like water on a window

31 2.5

To have only a small amount left

28 5.6

To find the source of something by checking facts

28 1.3

Water or other liquid flows out of a container by accident

25 4.7

Make someone or something go away

Practice something to check for mistakes

24 2.8

To keep going for longer than expected without stopping

23 7.9

To get into trouble with rules or people in charge

20 6.5

To spend time casually with people who may cause trouble

20 4.5

Have very strong feelings or tension

20 7.5

To act wildly and cause chaos

19 6.5

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

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

Use up money or supplies quickly and wastefully

15 3.2

To use up batteries, money or supplies until little remains

15 2.5

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

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

14 7.9

To get into trouble for breaking rules or laws

to run scared
  • Informal
14 5.7

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

14 3.7

To have very little of something left

13 4.1

To follow and catch a person, animal or vehicle

13 1.3

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

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

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

10 4.2

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

To move quickly down the stairs to a lower floor

8 5.6

Raise a flag or sail by pulling on ropes

7 1.4

To move around quickly and energetically without a clear purpose

7 3.7

To stop having any water, like a river or well

7 2.9

Flow away from a surface into drains or rivers

6 4.8

To lose energy or enthusiasm and stop working well

6 5.5

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

To act without care for other people or their rights

To go quickly to a shop to buy something you need

5 3.2

A liquid flows over the top of its container

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

5 7.5

Make someone very tired by giving them too much work

4 4.8

To quickly say the main points

4 4.2

Make clothes quickly by sewing, for example a dress

To go quickly around a town to do errands

To suddenly start running, often after walking or standing still

2 3.4

Make copies of a document using a photocopier

to run ragged
  • Informal
2 6.3

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

2 5.8

Behave in a wild way without control

1 5.6

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

To have almost no fuel left in a car

1 4.0

Do a lot of things for someone who keeps asking for help

Compounds

205 3.2

A long time when you see the final result of actions

169 2.3

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

run-in
  • Informal
41 5.2

An angry argument with someone

28 3.7

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

27 4.1

Lasting for a short time, not long-term

26 3.4

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

26 5.4

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

run-of-the-mill
  • Informal
24 3.3

Ordinary and not special

home run
  • Informal
20 2.5

A very successful result that achieves its goal

16 5.9

A sudden rise in prices or values over a short time

14 4.2

A complete rehearsal of a play or presentation without stopping

13 3.2

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

8 4.1

A practice session before an event to check for problems

earned run
  • Specialized
7 6.3

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

6 4.2

Happening over a long time, not just now

5 1.0

A short jog in the morning to exercise and wake up

bombing run
  • Specialized
4 7.3

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

4 7.0

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

4 2.1

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

beer run
  • Informal
4 7.2

A quick trip to buy beer before a party or gathering

3 7.5

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

earned run average
  • Specialized
3 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 batted in
  • Specialized
3 5.3

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

2 6.1

A quick attack where the attackers leave immediately

run-time
  • Specialized
2 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

end run
  • US
1 7.6

A way of avoiding a rule or decision by acting cleverly

1 4.2

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

ski run
  • UK
1 2.9

A slope prepared and kept for people to ski on

unearned run
  • Jargon
1 6.5

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

run of play
  • Jargon
1 6.1

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

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

1 7.7

An indirect way to avoid a rule or problem

end run
  • Jargon
1 6.5

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

press run
  • Specialized
1 5.6

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

To steal something quickly and run away

6.9

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

Chinese home run
  • Informal
9.0

A surprising and very large success

A path that many people or vehicles use regularly

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

6.2

An enclosed yard where chickens or ducks are kept

mine run
  • Archaic
8.4

Not special or interesting

nudie run
  • NSFW
9.9

To run naked in public as a joke or dare

rat run
  • UK
8.1

A narrow hidden path people use to go somewhere faster

run-of-the-mine
  • Informal
7.2

Common and not special

run-time error
  • Specialized
5.5

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

pit run
  • Specialized
7.9

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

pit-run gravel
  • Specialized
7.4

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

tip-and-run
  • Jargon
8.6

A brief attack followed by a rapid retreat

split run
  • Jargon
8.1

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

How Forceful

to scrape
62 1.2
to rub
600 1.0
to run
85 2.3
to brush
133 1.6
to touch
1.0

Surface Forms

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

Etymology

Run meaning to move something lightly over a surface comes from the basic sense 'to move along', so to run your hand through hair is to move it smoothly across the hair.