To run is to move quickly on foot so that both feet are briefly off the ground with each step. It can also mean to operate or manage something, like a machine, a program, or a business.
From Old English *rinnan* or *irnan*, meaning 'to run, flow, or move quickly'. The word has Germanic roots and has carried both the sense of physical motion and flowing movement for centuries.
Run is one of English’s busiest words: programs run, noses run, colors run, rivers run, and so do politicians. The core idea is fast, continuous movement—whether it’s legs, water, time, or processes. When you see 'run' in a new phrase, ask: what’s moving quickly or continuously here?
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