1. The act of running; travelling on foot at a fast pace
   "Her running improved after months of training";
   - run
    
2. The state of being in operation
   "a running engine"
    
3. The act of participating in an athletic competition involving running on a track
   "She excelled in running events, particularly the 400-meter dash";
   - track
    
4. The act of administering or being in charge of something
   "he has responsibility for the running of two companies at the same time"
    
5. (American football) a play in which a player attempts to carry the ball through or past the opposing team
   "the coach put great emphasis on running"; "the defensive line braced to stop the running play";
   - run, running play, running game

1. (of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing
   "in running order";
   - operative, functional, working
    
2. Continually repeated over a period of time
   "a running joke among us"
    
3. (of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
   "as mountain stream with freely running water"; "hovels without running water"
    
4. Executed or initiated by running
   "a running start"; "running plays worked better than pass plays"; "took a running jump"
    
5. (football) of advancing the ball by running
   "the team's running plays worked better than its pass plays"
    
6. Measured lengthwise
   "cost of lumber per running foot";
   - linear

1. Move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
   "The children ran to the store"; "Don't run — you'll be out of breath"
    
2. Flee; take to one's heels; cut and run
   "If you see this man, run!";
   - scat [informal], scarper [Brit, informal], turn tail [informal], lam [N. Amer, informal], run away, hightail it [N. Amer, informal], bunk [informal], head for the hills [informal], take to the woods [informal], escape, fly the coop [informal], break away, leg it [Brit, informal]
    
3. Cover by running; run a certain distance
   "She ran 10 miles that day"
    
4. Be operating, running or functioning
   "The car is still running — turn it off!"
    
5. Carry out a process or program, as on a computer or a machine
   "Run the dishwasher"; "run a new program on the Mac";
   - execute
    
6. Perform as intended or designed
   "Does this old car still run well?";
   - function, work, operate, go
    
7. Stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point
   "Service runs all the way to Cranbury";
   - go, pass, lead, extend
    
8. Direct or control (projects, businesses, etc.)
   "She is running a relief operation in the Sudan";
   - operate
    
9. Move along, of liquids
   "Water ran into the cave";
   - flow, feed, course
    
10. Stand or compete for an office or a position
    "Who's running for treasurer this year?";
    - campaign
     
11. Move about freely and without restraint, or act as if running around in an uncontrolled way
    "let the dogs run free"; "who are these people running around in the building?"; "She runs around telling everyone of her troubles"
     
12. Have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined
    "These dresses run small";
    - tend, be given, lean, incline
     
13. Be affected by; be subjected to
    "run a temperature"; "run a risk"
     
14. Continue or remain in existence, esp. despite time, difficulty or opposition
    "The festival has run for over fifty years";
    - prevail, persist, die hard, endure
     
15. Occur persistently
    "Musical talent runs in the family"
     
16. Include as the content; broadcast or publicize
    "We ran the ad three times";
    - carry
     
17. Conduct to completion
    "run an errand"
     
18. Pass over, across, or through
    "He ran his eyes over her body"; "She ran her fingers along the carved figurine";
    - guide, draw, pass
     
19. Cause something to lie along a particular path
    "Run the wire behind the cabinet";
    - lead
     
20. Cause an animal to move fast
    "run the dogs"
     
21. Extend or continue for a certain period of time
    "The film runs 5 hours";
    - run for
     
22. Sail before the wind
    "The ship ran before the gale"
     
23. Set animals loose to graze
    "The farmer ran the cattle in the pasture"
     
24. Keep company
    "the heifers run with the bulls to produce offspring";
    - consort
     
25. Travel rapidly, by any (unspecified) means
    "Run to the store!"; "She always runs to Italy, because she has a lover there";
    - nip [Brit, informal]
     
26. Travel a route regularly
    "Ships run the waters near the coast";
    - ply
     
27. Compete in a race
    "he is running the Marathon this year";
    - race
     
28. Progress by being changed
    "run through your presentation before the meeting";
    - move, go
     
29. Reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating
    "The chocolate will run if left in the sun";
    - melt, melt down
     
30. Come unraveled or undone as if by snagging
    "Her nylons were running";
    - ladder [Brit]
     
31. Become undone
    "the sweater ran";
    - unravel
     
32. Have a particular form
    "the story or argument runs as follows";
    - go
     
33. Change or be different within limits
    "Interest rates run from 5 to 10 percent";
    - range
     
34. Cause to emit recorded audio or video
    "They ran the tapes over and over again";
    - play
     
35. Change from one state to another
    "run riot"; "run amok"; "run rogue"
     
36. Cause to perform
    "run a subject"; "run a process"
     
37. Pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)
    "The dogs are running deer";
    - hunt, hunt down, track down
     
38. Be diffused
    "These dyes and colours are guaranteed not to run";
    - bleed
     
39. (sport) run with the ball; in such sports as football
    "The quarterback ran the ball for a touchdown"
     
40. (sport) make without a miss
    "The player ran the table in billiards, sinking every shot"
     
41. Deal in illegally, such as arms or liquor
    "They ran cigarettes to avoid taxes";
    - black-market

Derived forms: runnings

See also: continual, functioning, gushing, jetting, lengthways, lengthwise, pouring, reach, romp, run off, spouting, spurting, squirting

Type of: accompany, accomplish, action, administration, apply, barrel [informal], be, become, begin, belt [informal], belt along [informal], break, break up, bring home the bacon [informal], broadcast, bucket [informal], bucket along [informal], capture, carry out, carry through, catch, change, circularise [Brit], circularize, circulate, come apart, come through, come up trumps [Brit, informal], compete, contend, continue, deliver the goods, diffuse, direct, disintegrate, disperse, displace, disposal, disseminate, dissolve, distribute, do, endure, enforce, execute, fall apart, fan out, football play, free, fulfil [Brit, Cdn], fulfill [N. Amer], get, get down, go, go away, go forth, hasten, hie [archaic], hotfoot, hurry, implement, incur, jaunt, last, leave, liberate, locomote, locomotion, loose, merchandise, merchandize, move, occur, off [informal], operation, pass, pass around, pelt [informal], pelt along [informal], perform, process, propagate, race, release, resolve, rocket [informal], rush, rush along, sail, separate, set about, set out, speed, split up, spread, spread out, start, start out, step on it [informal], succeed, track and field, trade, travel, travel rapidly, treat, trip, turn up trumps [Brit, informal], unloose, unloosen, vie, whizz [informal], whizz along [informal], win, wing [informal], zip [informal], zoom, zoom along [informal]

Antonym: idle, pass, standing

Part of: track meet [N. Amer]

Encyclopedia: Running, Steve