runup

[ ruhn-uhp ]

/ ˈrʌnˌʌp /

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noun

the testing of an airplane engine by accelerating the motor.

an advance in prices, as in the stock market.

Sports.

the running up to the jump line by a broad jumper.
the running up of the ball in soccer or polo toward the goal.
the running up of a golf ball toward the putting green.

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Origin of runup

First recorded in 1825–35; noun use of verb phrase run up

Words nearby runup

run to, run to earth, run to form, run to seed, runty, runup, runway, run wild, run with, Runyon, RUOK

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use runup in a sentence

The seeds of OMG Signal actually started during the runup to the last election cycle, said Hagedorn, but became far more urgent as the pandemic wiped out decades of insights since peoples’ lives and priorities had been indelibly altered.
Media Buying Briefing: Omnicom launches a retro-style panel to codify post-pandemic consumer types|Michael Bürgi|May 17, 2021|Digiday
The global agency holding company IPG launched an initiative in the runup to Earth Month that underscored its commitment to the environment.
‘Sustainability makes good business sense’: Companies ramp up eco-friendly efforts for office returns|Jessica Davies|May 11, 2021|Digiday
In the runup to Georgia, these groups focused on turning out youth voters and voters of color.
Georgia went blue. Can Democrats make it happen elsewhere?|Ella Nilsen|January 15, 2021|Vox
They’ve all had to step up to offer Smith a second fiddle in the absence of Jaylen Waddle, but Waddle returned to practice during the runup to the title game after an ankle injury in late October.
What To Watch For In The College Football National Championship|Richard Johnson|January 11, 2021|FiveThirtyEight

You may have heard more about Parler in the runup to the 2020 election when conservatives touted it as an alternative to Twitter and Facebook.
Parler, the “free speech” social network, explained|Rebecca Heilweil|January 7, 2021|Vox
It leads one to wonder how breathlessly the actual runup to the 2016 election will be covered.
A Cuomo-Christie Proxy War?|Ben Jacobs|December 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The piece was part of the runup to the annual Clinton Global Initiative.
White House Stung By Clinton-Gore Essays|Eleanor Clift|June 23, 2011|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for runup

run up

verb (tr, adverb)

to amass or accumulate; incurto run up debts

to make by sewing together quicklyto run up a dress

to hoistto run up a flag

noun run-up

an approach run by an athlete for a long jump, pole vault, etc

a preliminary or preparatory periodthe run-up to the election

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with runup

run up

Make or become greater or larger, as in That offer will run up the price of the stock. [Late 1500s]

Accumulate, as in She ran up huge bills at the florist. [First half of 1700s]

Sew rapidly, as in I can run up some new curtains for the kitchen. [Mid-1800s]

Raise a flag, as in Let's run up the flag in time for the holiday. This usage, originating in the navy about 1900, gave rise to the slangy phrase, Let's run it up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes, meaning, “Let's try this out.” The latter originated about 1960 as advertising jargon.