running

[ ruhn-ing ]

/ ˈrʌn ɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR running ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of a person, animal, or thing that runs.

managing or directing: the running of a business.

an act or instance of racing: the 113th running of the Kentucky Derby.

the condition of a track or surface to be run or raced on; footing: Our track team had muddy running today.

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

adjective

galloping, racing, moving, or passing rapidly.

(of a horse)

going or proceeding rapidly at the gait of a gallop.
taught to proceed at a gallop.

creeping or climbing, as plants: a running vine.

moving or proceeding easily or smoothly.

moving when pulled or hauled, as a rope.

slipping or sliding easily, as a knot or a noose.

operating or functioning, as a machine.

(of measurement) linear; straight-line.

cursive, as handwriting.

flowing, as a stream.

liquid or fluid.

present; current: the running month.

prevalent, as a condition or state: running prices.

going or carried on continuously; sustained: a running commentary.

extending or repeated continuously: a running pattern.

performed with or during a run: a running leap.

discharging pus or other matter: a running sore.

Nautical. noting any of various objects or assemblages of objects that may be moved in ordinary use: running bowsprit; running gaff.

Nautical, Machinery.

noting any block of a tackle that moves.
noting the part of the fall of a tackle that moves through the blocks (opposed to standing).

adverb

in succession; consecutively: He slept badly for three nights running.

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Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!

Question 1 of 10

Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.

Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

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Idioms for running

in the running,

participating or entered as a competitor.
under consideration as a candidate or possible choice: Who is still in the running for the directorship?
among the winners or those making a good showing.

out of the running,

not competing in a contest or race.
not among the winners or runners-up in a contest or race: to finish out of the running.

Origin of running

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200; see origin at run, -ing¹, -ing²

OTHER WORDS FROM running

well-run·ning, adjective

Words nearby running

runner bean, runner foot, runner's high, runner's knee, runner-up, running, running back, running belay, running board, running bond, running commentary

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for in the running

running

/ (ˈrʌnɪŋ) /

adjective

maintained continuously; incessanta running battle; running commentary

(postpositive) without interruption; consecutivehe lectured for two hours running

denoting or relating to the scheduled operation of a public vehiclethe running time of a train

accomplished at a runa running jump

(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

(of a wound, sore, etc) discharging pus or a serous fluid

denoting or relating to operations for maintenancerunning repairs

prevalent; currentrunning prices

repeated or continuousa running design

(of certain plants, plant stems, etc) creeping along the ground

flowingrunning water

(of handwriting) having the letters run together

noun

management or organizationthe running of a company

operation or maintenancethe running of a machine

competition or a competitive situation (in the phrases in the running, out of the running)

make the running to set the pace in a competition or race

rare the power or ability to run

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with in the running (1 of 2)

in the running

Entered as a competitor in a contest. For example, Is Mary in the running for this election? The antonym, out of the running, means “not entered as a competitor,” as in Ian is out of the running for the job now that he's living in another state. [Mid-1800s]

Having a chance to win, as in Mary's still in the running for the promotion. Again, out of the running means the opposite, as in He's too old—he's out of the running. [Mid-1800s] Both usages allude to the entry and chances of a horse in a race.

Idioms and Phrases with in the running (2 of 2)

running

In addition to the idioms beginning with running

running on empty
running start

also see:

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

running

noun

adjective

adverb

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Idioms for running

Origin of running

OTHER WORDS FROM running

Words nearby running

Words related to in the running

British Dictionary definitions for in the running

adjective

noun

Idioms and Phrases with in the running (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with in the running (2 of 2)