run
/rʌn/ IELTSAcademic
verb
to move quickly on foot, faster than walking. It can also mean to manage or operate something, like a business, machine, or event.
- I run every morning.
- She runs a small shop.
- They run the training session.
noun
an act of running, or a short period of moving at speed. It can also mean a period of success, use, or control.
- I went for a run.
- We had a long run of good luck.
- The play had a successful run.
Adinary Nuance
Run is very broad, so it often means more than just moving fast. For motion, it is stronger and more active than jog or walk. For management, it is more everyday than operate or manage, and it sounds natural in speech and writing. Use run when you want a simple, common word that covers many situations.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- chạy
- Spanish
- correr
- Chinese
- 跑
- Japanese
- 走る
- Korean
- 달리다
Etymology
Old English runnan meant 'to flow, move swiftly'. It is related to old Germanic words for rapid movement and action.
Common phrases
run fastrun a businessgo for a runrun out of time
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is run a formal word?
- No. It is a very common everyday word, but it also appears in business and academic English.
- What is the difference between run and jog?
- Run is faster and more active. Jog means to run slowly for exercise.
- Can run mean manage?
- Yes. You can run a shop, a company, a program, or an event.
- Is ran the past tense of run?
- Yes. The past tense is ran, and the past participle is run.