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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

run around en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of runaround.
    alt of runaround
    • The sketch shows the arrangement of run arounds for bringing the loaded trips into the bottom and for returning the empties to the proper quarter of the mine. 1914, Mine and Quarry - Volumes 8-11, page 1176:
    • The Committee contends : First, that the turn of Brakeuien W. R. Tighe and W. F. Haworth was run around at Baird by the crews of Conductors Schwartz, Russell, Hubbard, and Whaley and thereby lost 200 miles, or four 50-mile run arounds. 1937, United States. National Railroad Adjustment Board, Awards: first division. 1- - Volume 7, page 504:
    • Natrum sulp. is my specific for inflammations of the matrix of the nails or " run arounds." 1893, The New England Medical Gazette - Volume 28, page 183:
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see run, around.
    • We let the dog off the lead so it could have a run around.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
run arounds Number=Plur lexicographic

run around en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To be very busy doing many different things.
    • I don't want to run around all week getting everything ready for the holidays.
  2. (idiomatic, intransitive) To go from place to place.
    • “A very welcome, kind, useful present, that means to the parish. By the way, Hopkins, let this go no further. We don't want the tale running round that a rich person has arrived. Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing.[…]” 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
  3. (of a locomotive) To move from one end of the consist to the other, so as to pull the train in the opposite direction.
  4. (slang) To cheat; to be unfaithful to a romantic partner.
  5. (of a forehand or a backhand) To change one's position on the court to hit a forehand rather than a backhand, or vice versa.
    • He'd gotten into tremendous shape so that he could run around his backhand and avoid hitting it altogether. He even tried a left-handed forehand. That was how desperate he was. 2006, Greg Moran, Tennis Beyond Big Shots, →ISBN, page 71:
  6. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see run, around.
    • The children ran around in the playground.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
runs around Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
run around Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
running around Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
ran around Tense=Past lexicographic

Deriveds

run-around · run around with · run around with one's hair on fire · run around in circles · run around like a chicken with its head cut off · run around after · runaround

Synonyms

run about

Translations (5)

cmn 忙碌 (to be very busy) · pl biegać (to be very busy) · cmn 奔忙 (to be very busy) · fr courir partout (to be very busy) · fi touhuta (to be very busy)