Dictionary

take a run at en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To attempt to achieve or acquire.
   • Cisco Chief Executive Officer John Chambers has scarcely hid the fact that his company is actively eyeing a number of acquisitions. At a luncheon in Toronto he felt compelled to deny recent speculation that Cisco would take a run at Canada's Nortel Networks. 2001 October 3, “Faces In The News”, in forbes.com, retrieved 24 Sep 2012:
   • Through Monday, Honolulu has set record highs 8 days straight and could again take a run at a record today. 2009 June 16, Bob Swanson, “Weather headlines”, in USA Today, retrieved 24 Sep 2012:
   • "No one else has achieved the right knit of polyester Dacron fibers—lots of mills have taken a run at it." 1989 November 26, Deborah Hofmann, “Fashion: Fluffy Outerwear Invades City Streets”, in New York Times, retrieved 24 Sep 2012:
   • Dean told me that he understood he would have to grow as a candidate in order to succeed, that it was time to move his campaign beyond attacks and anger, to take a run at the vision thing. 2003 November 9, Joe Klein, “Hectoring Is Not Leadership”, in Time:
2. (idiomatic, transitive) To attack or challenge or to try to attack or challenge.
   • Only one guy was brave enough to take a run at Tiger Woods at the British Open yesterday. . . . DiMarco finished two shots behind Woods. 2006 July 24, Hank Gola, "Dimarco Eases Own Pain Eases Own Pain," New York Daily News (retrieved 24 2012)
   • Like a tall dog who attacks a bear to remind himself he is still a tall dog, Ted Turner took a run at Rupert Murdoch last week. 1998 March 22, Robert Lipsyte, “Backtalk: New Sign Of Spring—Murdoch”, in New York Times, retrieved 24 Sep 2012:

Forms

Synonyms

take a stab at (attempt to achieve or acquire) · have a go at (attack or challenge) · have a go at (attempt to achieve or acquire)