running

[ ruhn-ing ]

noun

1. the act of a person, animal, or thing that runs.
2. managing or directing:

   the running of a business.

3. an act or instance of racing:

   the 113th running of the Kentucky Derby.

4. the condition of a track or surface to be run or raced on:

   Our track team had muddy running today.

5. the amount, quality, or type of a liquid flow.

adjective

1. galloping, racing, moving, or passing rapidly.
2. (of a horse)
   1. going or proceeding rapidly at the gait of a gallop.
   2. taught to proceed at a gallop.
3. creeping or climbing, as plants:

   a running vine.

4. moving or proceeding easily or smoothly.
5. moving when pulled or hauled, as a rope.
6. slipping or sliding easily, as a knot or a noose.
7. operating or functioning, as a machine.
8. (of measurement) linear; straight-line.
9. cursive, as handwriting.
10. flowing, as a stream.
11. liquid or fluid.
12. present; current:

    the running month.

13. prevalent, as a condition or state:

    running prices.

14. going or carried on continuously; sustained:

    a running commentary.

15. extending or repeated continuously:

    a running pattern.

16. performed with or during a run:

    a running leap.

17. discharging pus or other matter:

    a running sore.

18. Nautical. noting any of various objects or assemblages of objects that may be moved in ordinary use:

    running bowsprit;

    running gaff.

19. Nautical, Machinery.
    1. noting any block of a tackle that moves.
    2. noting the part of the fall of a tackle that moves through the blocks ( standing ).

adverb

1. in succession; consecutively:

   He slept badly for three nights running.

running

/ ˈrʌnɪŋ /

adjective

1. maintained continuously; incessant

   a running battle

   running commentary

2. postpositive without interruption; consecutive

   he lectured for two hours running

3. denoting or relating to the scheduled operation of a public vehicle

   the running time of a train

4. accomplished at a run

   a running jump

5. (of a knot) sliding along the rope from which it is made, so as to form a noose which becomes smaller when the rope is pulled
6. (of a wound, sore, etc) discharging pus or a serous fluid
7. denoting or relating to operations for maintenance

   running repairs

8. prevalent; current

   running prices

9. repeated or continuous

   a running design

10. (of certain plants, plant stems, etc) creeping along the ground
11. flowing

    running water

12. (of handwriting) having the letters run together

noun

1. management or organization

   the running of a company

2. operation or maintenance

   the running of a machine

3. competition or a competitive situation (in the phrases in the running , out of the running )
4. make the running
   to set the pace in a competition or race
5. rare.
   the power or ability to run

Other Word Forms

• well-running adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of running¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; run + -ing ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the running,
   1. participating or entered as a competitor.
   2. under consideration as a candidate or possible choice:

      Who is still in the running for the directorship?

   3. among the winners or those making a good showing.
2. out of the running,
   1. not competing in a contest or race.
   2. not among the winners or runners-up in a contest or race:

      to finish out of the running.

More idioms and phrases containing running

• hit the ground running
• in the running
• meter is running
• off and running

Example Sentences

He’s the one running point on the Trojans’ portal plans.

From Los Angeles Times

"It was chaos, everyone was running from their homes," he told the BBC.

From BBC

"Every match has been a grind. This Real Madrid side has looked like a team running on fumes."

From BBC

Encounter someone who saw “Star Trek: The Experience” in Las Vegas, which opened in the late ’90s and ran for about a decade, and expect nostalgic reflections of running aboard the U.S.S.

From Los Angeles Times

But with passions running high on both sides of the debate, it is unlikely to go away.

From BBC

Related Words

• constant
• functioning
• working