ran

For the verb: "to run"

Simple Past:	ran
Past Participle:	run

Multiple Entries:
  ran    RAN    run  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
ran/ran/

past of run.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
RAN

▶abbreviation Royal Australian Navy.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
run/rʌn/

▶verb (runs, running, ran /ran/; past part. run)

• 1 move at a speed faster than a walk, never having both or all feet on the ground at the same time.

  ■ enter or be entered in a race.

  ■ (of hounds) chase or hunt their quarry.

  ■ (of a boat) sail straight and fast directly before the wind.

  ■ (of a migratory fish) go upriver from the sea in order to spawn.

• 2 move about in a hurried and hectic way.

• 3 pass or cause to pass: Helen ran her fingers through her hair.

  ■ move forcefully: the tanker ran aground.

  ■ informal fail to stop at (a red traffic light).

  ■ chiefly N. Amer. navigate (rapids or a waterfall) in a boat.

• 4 flow or cause to flow.

  ■ cause water to flow over.

  ■ emit or exude a liquid: her nose was running.

  ■ (of dye or colour) dissolve and spread when wet.

• 5 (of a bus, train, etc.) make a regular journey on a particular route.

  ■ transport in a car: I'll run you home.

• 6 be in charge of; manage or organize.

  ■ continue, operate, or proceed: everything's running according to plan.

  ■ own, maintain, and use (a vehicle).

• 7 function or cause to function.

• 8 (run in) (of a quality or trait) be common or inherent in.

• 9 stand as a candidate.

• 10 pass into or reach a specified state or level.

• 11 chiefly N. Amer. (of a stocking or pair of tights) develop a ladder.

• 12 publish or be published in a newspaper or magazine.

• 13 smuggle (goods).

• 14 N. Amer. informal cost (someone) (a specified amount).

▶noun

• 1 an act or spell of running.

  ■ a running pace.

  ■ an annual mass migration of fish up or down a river.

• 2 a journey or route.

  ■ a short excursion made in a car.

• 3 a spell of producing, proceeding, or operating: a run of bad luck.

  ■ a continuous stretch or length of something.

  ■ a rapid series of musical notes.

  ■ a sequence of cards of the same suit.

• 4 (a run on) a widespread and sudden demand for: a big run on nostalgia toys.

• 5 a course or track made or regularly used: a ski run.

• 6 (the run) the average or usual type: she stood out from the general run of Tory women.

• 7 Cricket a unit of scoring achieved by hitting the ball so that both batsmen are able to run between the wickets.

  ■ Baseball a point scored by the batter returning to home plate after touching the bases.

• 8 an enclosed area in which animals or birds may run freely in the open.

  ■ (the run of) free and unrestricted use of or access to somewhere.

  ■ Austral./NZ a large open stretch of land used for pasture or livestock.

• 9 a ladder in stockings or tights.

• 10 a downward trickle of liquid.

• 11 a small stream or brook.

• 12 (the runs) informal diarrhoea.

• 13 Nautical the after part of a ship's bottom where it rises and narrows towards the stern.

– phrases
be run off one's feet be extremely busy.
a (good) run for one's money

• 1 challenging competition or opposition.

• 2 reward or enjoyment in return for one's efforts.

on the run

• 1 escaping from arrest.

• 2 while running or moving.

run before one can walk attempt something difficult before one has grasped the basic skills.
run dry

• 1 (of a well or river) cease to flow or have any water.

• 2 (of a supply) be completely used up.

(make a) run for it attempt to escape by running away.
run foul (or chiefly N. Amer. afoul) of

• 1 Nautical collide or become entangled with.

• 2 come into conflict with.

run into the sand come to nothing.
run low (or short) (of a supply) become depleted.
run off at the mouth N. Amer. informal talk excessively or indiscreetly.
run a temperature be suffering from a high temperature.
run someone/thing to ground (or Brit. earth) Hunting chase a quarry to its lair.

■ Brit. find someone or something after a long search.

– phrasal verbs
run across meet or find by chance.
run after informal pursue persistently.
run along informal go away.
run away

• 1 take flight; escape.

• 2 try to avoid facing up to danger or difficulty.

run away with

• 1 escape the control of: Susan's imagination was running away with her.

• 2 win (a competition or prize) easily.

run something by (or past) tell (someone) about something, in order to obtain an opinion or reaction.
run someone/thing down

• 1 (of a vehicle) hit and knock over a person or animal.

• 2 criticize someone or something unfairly or unkindly.

• 3 discover someone or something after a search.

• 4 (also run down) reduce or become reduced in size or resources.

• 5 lose or cause to lose power; stop or cause to stop functioning.

• 6 gradually deteriorate.

run someone in informal arrest someone.
run something in Brit. use something new in such a way as not to make maximum demands upon it.
run into

• 1 collide with.

  ■ meet by chance.

• 2 experience (a difficulty).

run off informal escape; abscond.
run something off

• 1 produce a copy on a machine.

• 2 write or recite something quickly and with little effort.

• 3 drain liquid from a container.

run on continue without stopping; go on longer than is expected.
run out

• 1 use up or be used up.

• 2 become no longer valid.

• 3 (of rope) be paid out.

• 4 extend; project.

run someone out Cricket dismiss a batsman by dislodging the bails with the ball while the batsman is still running.
run over

• 1 overflow.

• 2 exceed (a limit).

run someone/thing over knock down a person or animal in a vehicle.
run someone through stab a person so as to kill them.
run through (or over) go over quickly or briefly as a rehearsal or reminder.
run to

• 1 extend to or reach.

• 2 show a tendency towards.

run something up

• 1 allow a bill, score, etc. to accumulate.

• 2 make something quickly or hurriedly.

• 3 raise a flag.

run up against experience or meet (a difficulty).
run with proceed with; accept.

– derivatives
runnable adjective.

– origin OE rinnan, irnan (v.), of Gmc origin; the current form with -u- is first recorded in the 16th cent.