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Glite Dictionary
to run around town

to run around town

3 2.4
To go quickly around a town to do errands
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : correr por la ciudad
  • She enjoys running around town every Saturday to explore new cafes and shops.

I guess that explains why you've been running around town with Greg.

Examples

  • They probably would love to run around town helping people with that.

    Academic text (2009)

  • I had to run around town to finish all my errands before the store closed.

  • "You know," she said, without looking up, "it's not the greatest night to be running around town."

    Fiction book (1990)

  • A kid will skip the Boys and Girls Club to run around town and get in trouble.

    Blog text (11)

  • I wanted white trainers for casual running around town and just looking cute.

  • We've just run around town picking up some last minute Christmas bits to take to my family's tomorrow, which is where we're heading back to Wiltshire.

  • You’re running around town making millions, shooting videos, carrying on, but where’s the love, Christopher?

    Who's Your Caddy? (2007)

  • And practical shoes, because she's the one who has to run around town all day, since her mistress can only hobble from the taxi to the curb in those heels.

    Blog text (34)

  • After work, I often run around town looking for the best deals at my favorite stores.

Synonyms

to get around
vsto run around town
49 2.1

Move from place to place within an area

is quicker and aims to do many short tasks across the local area
to zip over
vsto run around town
  • Informal
1 5.1

To go quickly to a nearby place for a short visit

is faster but covers multiple quick stops for errands in the local area

Antonyms

to stay put
  • Informal
133 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

How Busy

to run around town
3 2.4
to go out
893 1.0
to hang around
  • Informal
407 2.0

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

run + around + town

The meaning 'to move quickly from one place to another within a town' is directly and compositionally derived from 'run' (move rapidly) + 'around' (about various places) + 'town' (location). This motion verb + particle + location pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows normal English composition, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Run around town comes from the image of someone literally running around the town, rushing from shop to shop to do small jobs. So, it means 'to move quickly from place to place in town to finish errands'.