runabout en · NOUN
Etymology
Deverbal from run about.
Meanings
-
Any of several small vehicles, especially a small motor car for use on short journeys.
The door being open, Stranleigh walked in unannounced. A two-seated runabout[…]stood by the window, where it could be viewed by passers-by. Further down the room rested a chassis, […]
1913, Robert Barr, chapter 2, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad:
- (dated) A motor car having a single row of seats.
- (historical) A light, open, American horse-drawn vehicle with four large wheels.
- (archaic) A gadabout or vagabond.
- A small, relatively maneuverable spacecraft or shuttlecraft.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| runabouts | Number=Plur | lexicographic |