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run-off
London to Brighton. | This old ferry used to be on the Felixstowe to Stockholm run. 4 [C] a continuous set of performances of a play, film etc: The play had a run of three months. 5 [S+of] a continuous set of similar events; SEQUENCE: I've had a run of bad luck recently. (=lots of unlucky things have happened to me) 6 [the (of)] the usual or average sort: She's different from the common/general run of students. -> see also RUN-OF-THE-MILL 7 [S+on] a) an eager demand: There's been a big run on ice cream during this hot weather. b) a general desire to sell money or to take one's money out: The run on the pound forced the government to act. | a run on the bank 8 [the+of] the freedom to visit or use (a place): He's given our children the run of his garden. | I have the run of his extensive library. 9 [C] an enclosed but usually uncovered area where animals are kept: a chicken run | a sheep run 10 [C] a point won a) in cricket, by two players running from one WICKET to the other, passing each other on the way: England scored/made 301 runs. b) in BASEBALL, by a player reaching the home base safely: a home run 11 [C] a sloping course for a downhill sport: a ski run 12 [C] (in card games) a set of cards dealt to a person, in which the numbers on all the cards follow on from each other -> compare FLUSH 13 [C] (in music) a set of notes played or sung quickly up or down the SCALE without a break 14 [C] AmE for LADDER: I've got a run in my new panty hose. 15 a (good) run for one's money infml a) plenty of opposition in a competition: They may be a better team than us, but we'll give them a run for their money. b) good or satisfactory results, treatment etc, (especially in return for one's time, money or effort): He lived to be 92, so I think he had a good run for his money. 16 at a run running: She left the house at a run. 17 in the long run after a long period; in the end: It'll be cheaper in the long run to use real leather because it will last longer. 18 in the short run for the near future: Of course plastic's cheaper than leather in the short run, but it won't last as long. 19 on the run trying to escape or hide, especially from the police: The escaped murderer has been on the run for three weeks. -> see also RUNS, DUMMY RUN, FUN RUN, MILK RUN, TRIAL RUN
run-a,bout n infml a small light car
run-a,round n [the] infml delaying or deceiving treatment: They've been giving me the run-around for six months now; they just won't give me a straight answer to a straight question. | He's been giving his wife the run-around. (=making love to another woman) -> see also RUN AROUND
run-a-way¹ /'rʌnəweɪ/ adj [A] 1 out of control: a runaway horse/train | We're suffering from runaway inflation. 2 having run away: a runaway child 3 done by running away: a runaway marriage
runaway² n a person or animal that has run away -> see also RUN AWAY
un-'down adj 1 (especially of a place) old and broken or in bad condition; DILAPIDATED: an old run-down hotel 2 [F] (of a person) tired and weak and in poor health: You need a holiday; you look a bit run-down.
un-down /'rʌndaʊn/ n 1 [(the) S (of)] the (process of running something down (RUN down): the phased rundown of the steel industry 2 [C(on)] infml a detailed report of a set of events: I want a complete rundown on everything that happened while I was away.
une /ru:n/ n 1 any of the letters of an alphabet cut on stone, wood etc, once used by the peoples of Northern Europe 2 a magic charm written or spoken mysteriously —runic adj: the runic alphabet
ung¹ /rʌŋ/ past participle of RING
ung² n 1 any of the cross-bars that form the steps of a ladder: a broken rung | (fig.) The director made his son start on the bottom/first rung of the ladder (=the lowest level in the organization) as an office boy. 2 a bar like this between the legs of a chair
un-in n infml a quarrel or disagreement, especially with the police or an official body: to have a run-in with the law
un-nel /'rʌnɪl/ n especially lit a small stream
un-ner /'rʌnə/ n 1 a person or animal that runs, especially a) in a race or as a sport: Bannister was the first runner to achieve the four-minute mile. | a long-distance runner | There are six runners (=horses that will run) in the
3.30 at Epsom. | the runner at first base b) (especially in former times) to carry messages: The general sent a runner from Marathon to Athens to carry the news. 2 (usually in comb.) someone who SMUGGLES the stated goods (=takes them illegally into a country): a dope-runner 3 either of the two thin blades on which a SLEDGE slides over the snow or the single blade on which a SKATE slides over the ice 4 the supporting bars on which a shelf, drawer etc slides 5 any of the stems with which a plant like the STRAWBERRY spreads itself along the ground -> see also FRONT-RUNNER, RUNNERS
,runner 'bean BrE — n a climbing bean with long green PODS (=seed containers) which are used as food
run-ners /'rʌnəz||-ərz/ also trainers BrE || running shoes AmE — n [P] a pair of shoes for running in or for other sports
,runner-'up n pl. runners-up or runner-ups the person or team that comes second in a race or competition
run-ning¹ /'rʌnɪŋ/ n [U] 1 the act or sport of running 2 direction; control: He left the running of the company in the hands of his son. 3 in/out of the running with some/no hope of winning: Charles is still in the running for the directorship/as a possible director. 4 make the running BrE to set the speed at which a race is run, at which a relationship develops etc; set a standard or be a leader: If you want to be friends with her you'll have to make (all) the running.
running² adj [A] 1 (of water) a) flowing: These fish prefer to live in running water. b) flowing from TAPS: This hotel has hot and cold running water in every room. 2 a) continuing over a long period: For five years we had a running battle with the council over who was responsible for repairing the road. b) made during a process or activity: a running commentary on the football match (=describing it as it happens) | Keep a running total of your expenses as you go along. | He couldn't stop to overhaul the engine properly, so he just made a few running repairs. (=so as to be able to finish his journey) 3 for or concerned with running as a sport: running shoes | a running track 4 giving out PUS (=liquid matter) from the body: a running sore -> compare RUNNY 5 in running order (of a machine) working properly -> see also RUN
running³ adv (after a plural noun with a number) one after the other without a break; in a row: She won the prize three times running. | For the third year running the company has made a big loss.
'running ,back n in American football, a player whose main job is to run with the ball
'running costs n [P] the amount of money needed for operating a business or other activity: The running costs of the helpline are met by donations. | We're trying to reduce our running costs.
,running 'jump n 1 a jump made by running to the point at which one takes off 2 take a running jump [often imperative] infml to go away and stop being annoying: If he asks you any more personal questions, tell him to take a running jump.
'running mate n (in US politics) a person with whom another is trying to get elected to a pair of political positions of greater and less importance, especially those of President and Vice-President: Reagan has yet to choose his running mate.
,running re'pairs n [P] small things that you do to something to keep it in good working order
'running ,time n [U] the length of time that a film or television programme takes to run from beginning to end
run-ny /'rʌni/ adj infml 1 in a more liquid form than is usual or expected: runny butter 2 (of the nose or eyes) producing liquid, as when one has a cold: She wiped the baby's runny nose. -> compare RUNNING
Run-ny-mede /'rʌnimed/ a field near the River Thames at Egham, southern England, where it is believed that King JOHN signed the MAGNA CARTA in 1215. There is also a small area of land there which was given to the American people in 1965, and which contains a MEMORIAL to President John F. Kennedy. -> see picture on page A47
'run-off n 1 [C] a last race or competition to decide the winner, because two or more people have won an equal number of points, races etc -> compare PLAY-OFF; see also RUN OFF 2 [U] liquid which flows off or from (something): nitrogen-rich run-off from agricultural land 3 run-off election AmE a state election held if in the first election no