Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *úd
Proto-Germanic *ūt
Proto-Germanic *ūt-
Old English ūt-
Middle English ut-
English out-
English run
English outrun
From out- + run.
Meanings
In ski jumping, the flat or uphill area past the landing point, where the skier can slow down.
The sheepdog's initial run towards the sheep, done in a curving motion so as not to startle them.
(Scotland) A piece of outlying grazing land on an arable farm.
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *úd
Proto-Germanic *ūt
Proto-Germanic *ūt-
Old English ūt-
Middle English ut-
English out-
English run
English outrun
From out- + run.
Meanings
(transitive) To run faster than.
I don't need to outrun the bear; I just need to outrun you.
Once it became obvious that Extra 3119 West was out of control, the VAN engineer took matters into his own hands. Hearing the engineer of Extra 3119 West repeatedly report his speed as being 80 mph, the VAN engineer believed the other train had reached maximum speed and that he could outrun it. Had he been instructed to do this earlier by the dispatcher, he might have succeeded in staying ahead of the runaway. 1981 August 18, National Transportation Safety Board, “Role of Dispatcher”, in Railroad Accident Report: Rear-End Collision of Union Pacific Railroad Company Freight Trains Extra 3119 West and Extra 8044 West, Near Kelso, California, November 17, 1980, archived from the original on 29 Mar 2022, pages 30–31:
Can a tiger outrun a lion?
(transitive) To exceed or overextend.
[…] as I levelled my glance towards the taffrail, foreboding shivers ran over me. Reality outran apprehension; Captain Ahab stood upon his quarter-deck. 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 28, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
They will take care not to outrun their income. They will never be distressed for money. 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC: