Run Running Ran I Extra Make Examples Rʌn

• 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.

run

Verb Forms

1. 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.
• 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.

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.
2. to travel a particular distance by running
• SEE ALSO mile
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/mile
• Who was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes?
• I ran four miles today.
3. 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. to take part in a race
• SEE ALSO runner (1)
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/runner#runner_sng_1
• He will be running in the 100 metres tonight.
• There are only five horses running in the first race.
• to run a marathon
• Farah ran a fine race to take the gold medal.
5. to make a race take place
• The Derby will be run in spite of the bad weather.
6. to hurry from one place to another
• SEE ALSO rat run
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/rat-run
• I've spent the whole day running around after the kids.
7. to be in charge of a business, campaign, etc.
• SEE ALSO running (2)
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/running_1#running_sng_2
• 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

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?
8. to make a service, course of study, etc. available to people
• SYNONYM organize
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/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. to travel on a particular route
• Buses to Oxford run every half hour.
• 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?
10. to make buses, trains, etc. travel on a particular route
• They run extra trains during the rush hour.
• The transport company is concerned about the cost of running more buses.
11. to operate or function; to make something do this
• Stan had the chainsaw running.
• Our van runs on (= uses) diesel.
• Could you run the engine for a moment?

Extra Examples

• The engine was running very smoothly.
• Our car only runs on unleaded petrol.
12. 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.
• 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?
13. if a recording on a tape runs or somebody runs it, it plays
• He didn't know the tape was still running.
• Run the tape, please.
• Can you run the tape back a few minutes?
14. to own and use a vehicle or machine
• I can't afford to run a car on my salary.
15. to drive somebody to a place in a car
• Shall I run you home?
• Would you mind running me to the shops?
16. 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. to move something in a particular direction
• She ran her fingers nervously through her hair.
• I ran my eyes over the page.
18. to lead or stretch from one place to another; to make something do this
• He had a scar running down his left cheek.
• The road runs parallel to the river.
• The railway line runs right past the house.
• The bookcase runs the length of the room.
• We ran a cable from the lights to the stage.
19. to flow
• The tears ran down her cheeks.
• Water was running all over the bathroom floor.
20. to make liquid flow
• She ran hot water into the bucket.
• to run the hot tap (= to turn it so that water flows from it)
• I'll run a bath for you.
• I'll run you a bath.
21. 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. to be covered with a liquid
• His face was running with sweat.
• The bathroom floor was running with water.
23. 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.
24. to melt
• SEE ALSO runny
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/runny
• The wax began to run.
25. 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. to be at or near a particular level
• Inflation was running at 26 per cent.
27. to continue for a particular period of time without stopping
• Her last musical ran for six months on Broadway.
• The course runs from June 25th to August 27th.
• This debate will run and run!
28. 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. to happen or progress at the time or in the way mentioned
• 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.
30. to be a candidate in an election for a political position, especially in the US
• COMPARE stand
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/stand_2
• Obama ran a second time in 2012.
• Hilary Clinton ran for president in 2016.
• He ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in New York.
• She is planning to run in the parliamentary election.
31. to bring or take something into a country illegally and secretly
• SYNONYM smuggle
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/smuggle
• He used to run guns across the border.
• She made money by running drugs.
32. to have particular words, contents, etc.
• Their argument ran something like this…
• ‘Ten shot dead by gunmen,’ ran the newspaper headline.
33. to print and publish an item or a story
• On advice from their lawyers they decided not to run the story.
34. to do a test, an experiment, etc.
• The doctors decided to run some more tests on the blood samples.
• The two experiments are run in parallel.
• The company is running clinical trials of the new drug.
35. if tights or stockings run, a long thin hole appears in them
36. to be pleased to do what somebody wants
• She knew she had only to call and he would come running.
37. to run in order to escape from somebody/something
38. to treat somebody badly and not worry about their feelings
39. 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.

Word Origin

• Old 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.