1212
smoothly at the office? | The new computer has arrived but it won't be up and running (=in full operation) until next week. 12 [T] to control (an organization or system); be in charge of and cause to work: Who's running this company/contest? | They run a small hotel. | Don't try and run my life. | a well-run/ badly-run company | the state-run national airline TO CONTINUE IN A PARTICULAR DIRECTION OR STATE 13 [I+adv/prep; not in progressive forms] to pass or continue in the stated direction, way etc: The boundary runs to the south of that forest. | The road runs along the river bank/over the mountains/through a tunnel. 14 [I+adv/prep, especially for] to have official force during a period of time; remain VALID: The licence runs for a year. | The insurance has only another month to run. 15 [I+adv/prep] to continue without interruption: The play ran (=was performed regularly) for two years in New York. | The story/poem runs like this ... | I can't remember how the rest of Hamlet's speech runs. | Good looks run in their family. (=tend to be passed from the parents to the children) 16 [I/(at) usually in progressive forms] to be or remain at the stated level: The factory's output is currently running at 50 cars a day. OTHER MEANINGS 17 [L+adj] to develop or pass into the stated (usually undesirable) condition: The well has run dry. | Our supply of coal is running short/low. | Several people shouted at the chairman; feelings were running high. (=people were getting excited and angry) | Since their parents divorced those children have been running wild. (=allowed to do what they like, without any control) | Disease is running rife (=spreading quickly) in the shanty towns. 18 [T] to give in a newspaper, magazine etc; print: 'The Sunday Times' ran a story about the discovery of Hitler's diaries. 19 [I (against, for, in)] especially AmE to be or become a CANDIDATE (=a person trying to get elected) in an election; STAND: Johnson didn't run a second time. | The Democrats chose Mondale to run against Reagan/to run for President. 20 [T] to bring into a country illegally and secretly: to run drugs/guns across the border/into Ireland → see also RUNNER 21 [I] especially AmE (of a hole in woven cloth) to spread; LADDER: This hole in my tights is starting to run. 22 [T usually in progressive forms] to have an unusually high (body temperature): Johnny's running a temperature today; he may have flu. 23 run a mile infml to run away quickly to avoid someone or something: She's so shy, I think if a man spoke to her she'd run a mile. → see also RUNNING, run amok (AMOK), cut and run (CUT), run to earth (EARTH), run it fine (FINE), run the gauntlet (GAUNTLET), run one's head against a brick wall (HEAD), run rings round (RING), run riot (RIOT), run to seed (SEED)
Run is the general word for moving quickly on one's legs. Race, dash, and sprint all suggest running very fast for a short distance: I raced/dashed/sprinted down the road to catch the bus. To jog is to run in a steady unhurried way as a form of exercise: She goes jogging every morning.
PHRASAL VERBS
run across sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] to find or meet (especially someone or something pleasant) by chance: I ran across an old friend in the street. → compare COME ACROSS
run after sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] 1 to chase: My dog was running after a rabbit. 2 derog to try to gain the attention and company of: If you didn't run after her so much, she might be more interested in you. 3 infml to perform the duties of a servant for: I can't keep running after you all day!
run along phr v [I often imperative] infml (used especially to a child) to leave; go away: Run along now, all of you! I'm busy.
run around phr v [I+adv/prep, especially (with)] to go about habitually in company (together or with): Her husband found she'd been running around with another man. → see also RUN-AROUND
run away phr v [I(from)] to go away (as if) to escape: He ran away to sea/from home at the age of fourteen. | They ran away together to get married. → see also RUNAWAY
run away with sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] 1 to take and carry off secretly or illegally: Someone's run away with all my jewels. | He ran away with his boss's wife. 2 (of ideas, feelings etc) to gain control of and carry away: Don't let your temper/enthusiasm run away with you. 3 [usually in negatives] to believe too easily (a false idea): Don't run away with the idea that you needn't do any work, just because you're working for your father. 4 infml to win (a game or competition) easily
run down phr v 1 [T(run sbdy./sthg. down)] to knock down and hurt (a person or large animal) with a motor vehicle, perhaps intentionally → compare RUN INTO, RUN OVER 2 [I] (especially of a clock or an electric BATTERY) to lose power and stop working 3 [I,T(= run sthg. down)] to (allow to) gradually stop working or be reduced in size; (allow to) DECLINE: The coal industry is running down/is being run down. 4 [T(run sbdy./sthg. down)] infml to say rude or unfair things about; DENIGRATE: She's jealous of your success; that's why she's always running you down. 5 [T(run sbdy./sthg. down)] to find by searching: See if you can run down that book in the library for me. → see also RUNDOWN, RUN-DOWN
run sbdy./sthg. in phr v [T] 1 to bring (especially an engine) gradually and carefully into full use 2 infml (of the police) to catch (a criminal); ARREST
run into sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] 1 to hit forcefully with one's vehicle: We went too fast round the corner and ran into a lamppost. → compare RUN DOWN, RUN OVER 2 infml to meet (someone) by chance: Guess who I ran into in town today? 3 to begin to experience (difficulty; get into (a difficult or unpleasant situation): After a promising start, the company ran into trouble/into debt. 4 to add up to; reach (a length or amount): They had debts running into thousands of pounds.
run sthg. off phr v [T] 1 to make up, perform, or repeat (a piece of music, poem, speech etc) quickly or easily. 2 to print (copies): I'll run off a hundred of these notices for you. 3 to get rid of (unwanted weight) by running: You're too fat; try and run off all those excess pounds. → see also RUN-OFF
run off with sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] to RUN AWAY WITH
run on phr v [I] 1 to continue, especially beyond the arranged time: The concert ran on until eleven o'clock. 2 infml to talk without stopping: He'll run on for hours about his computer if you let him.
run out phr v 1 [I] to come to an end, so that there is no more; be completely used up: Our food soon ran out. | Have you nearly finished? Time is running out. 2 [I(of)] to use all one's supplies; have no more: 'Can you give me a cigarette?' 'Sorry, I've run out.' | I'm afraid we've run out of petrol. | I'm running out of patience. 3 [T usually pass. (run sady. out)] (in cricket) to cause (a player who is in the middle of making a RUN (10a)) to have to leave the field by hitting with the ball the WICKET towards which he is running
run sbdy. out of sthg. phr v [T] infml to force to leave (a place): They ran him out of town.
run out on sbdy./sthg. also walk out on sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] derog to leave or desert (someone or something one is responsible for): He ran out on his wife.
run over phr v 1 [I(run sbdy./sthg. over)] (of a vehicle or its driver) to knock down and pass over the top of: He was run over and killed by a bus. | I ran over a rabbit this morning. → compare RUN DOWN, RUN INTO 2 [T(run over sthg)] to RUN through (1) 3 [I] (of a liquid or its container) to overflow: The water/bath/bucket ran over.
run through phr v [T] 1 [run through sthg.] also run over → to repeat for practice: Let's run through the first scene again. → see also RUN-THROUGH 2 [run through sthg.] to read or examine quickly: I'll just run through this list of figures with you. 3 [run through sthg.] to spend (money) fast and especially wastefully: He soon ran through all his father's money. 4 [pass. (run through sthg.)] to be part of; spread right through: A feeling of sadness runs through his poetry. 5 [run sbdy. through] especially lit to push one's sword right through somebody
run to sthg. phr v [I not in progressive forms] especially BrE to be or have enough to pay for: My wages won't run to a car/to buying a car.
run sthg. up phr v [T] 1 to raise (a flag): They ran up the national flag on the queen's birthday. 2 to cause oneself to have (bills or debts): She ran up a large phone bill. 3 to make quickly, especially by sewing: I ran this dress up in one evening. → see also RUN-UP
run up against sthg. phr v [T] infml to meet or be forced to deal with (something difficult): We ran up against some unexpected opposition.
run² n 1 [C] an act of running: She usually goes for a run/takes the dog for a run before breakfast. | A cross-country run is a run across the fields. | a five-mile run 2 [S] a short journey in a car, especially for pleasure: Let's go for a run in the car. 3 [C usually sing.] a journey of the stated kind made regularly by a train, ship, TRUCK etc: It's a 55-minute run from