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run

Definition, pronunciation, etymology, and usage for the English word. Free spelling reference powered by Wiktionary.

Letters

3 characters

Language

English

word origin

Source

Wiktionary

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Detailed reference entry for the English word "run", 3-letters, with pronunciation in International Phonetic Alphabet notation, etymology traced through Germanic and Romance roots where applicable, common misspelling variants catalogued from Hunspell error dictionaries, and usage frequency ranked against the top 100,000 English words in the Wordfreq corpus. PlainSpell covers English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German spelling with confusable-pair detection that highlights visually and phonetically similar words. This entry for "run" includes synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and cross-language translation pointers sourced from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org extract. Whether you are verifying the correct spelling of "run" for academic writing, checking homophone confusion, or exploring etymological origins, this page provides a citation-backed, free reference that requires no sign-up.

run is aEnglishverb. It means: To move swiftly. Pronounced /ɹʌn/. It ranks #309 in English word frequency. Often confused with RV and RW.

Key facts for run
PropertyValue
Headwordrun
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹʌn/
Letters3
Frequency rank#309
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency rank visualization

Position of run in English word frequency (lower rank = more common)

Source: Wordfreq corpus

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for run is 3 letters long, classified as averb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹʌn/. Corpus data places it at rank #309 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language.Wiktionary records 63 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No frequent misspelling variants are recorded for run in our index, suggesting the orthography either follows predictable English patterns or the word is uncommon enough that typo corpora lack signal.It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "RV", "RW", "rye", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English runnen, rennen (“to run”), alteration (due to the past participle runne, runnen, yronne) of Middle English rinnen (“to run”), from Old English rinnan, iernan (“to run”) and Old Norse rinna (“to run”), both from Proto-Germanic *rinnaną (“… Root origin matters for spelling because borrowed morphemes (Greek, Latin, Old French, Old English) carry their source-language orthographic conventions into modern English, which is why historical etymology is often the cleanest predictor of whether a cluster like "-ough", "-eau", or "-tion" will appear. For readers arriving here from a spelling check, the authoritative guidance is: the correct English form is run, spelled R-U-N, and any other sequence of those letters, regardless of how natural it feels, is a misspelling in standard orthography.

Definition

  1. 1
    To move swiftly.
  2. 2
    To move swiftly.
  3. 3
    To move swiftly.
  4. 4
    To move swiftly.
  5. 5
    To move swiftly.
  6. 6
    To move swiftly.
  7. 7
    To move swiftly.
  8. 8
    To move swiftly.
  9. 9
    To move swiftly.
  10. 10
    To move swiftly.
  11. 11
    To move swiftly.
  12. 12
    To move swiftly.
  13. 13
    To move swiftly.
  14. 14
    To move swiftly.
  15. 15
    To move swiftly.
  16. 16
    To move swiftly.
  17. 17
    To flow.
  18. 18
    To flow.
  19. 19
    To flow.
  20. 20
    To flow.
  21. 21
    To flow.
  22. 22
    To flow.
  23. 23
    To flow.
  24. 24
    To sail before the wind, in distinction from reaching or sailing close-hauled.
  25. 25
    To control or manage; to be in charge of.
  26. 26
    To be a candidate in an election.
  27. 27
    To make participate in certain kinds of competitions.
  28. 28
    To make participate in certain kinds of competitions.
  29. 29
    To exert continuous activity; to proceed.
  30. 30
    To be presented in the media.
  31. 31
    To print or broadcast in the media.
  32. 32
    To smuggle (illegal goods).
  33. 33
    To sort through a large volume of produce in quality control.
  34. 34
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  35. 35
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  36. 36
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  37. 37
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  38. 38
    To extend or persist, statically or dynamically, through space or time.
  39. 39
    To execute or carry out a plan, procedure, or program.
  40. 40
    To pass or go quickly in thought or conversation.
  41. 41
    To become different in a way mentioned (usually to become worse).
  42. 42
    To cost an amount of money.
  43. 43
    Of stitches or stitched clothing, to unravel.
  44. 44
    To cause stitched clothing to unravel.
  45. 45
    To pursue in thought; to carry in contemplation.
  46. 46
    To cause to enter; to thrust.
  47. 47
    To drive or force; to cause, or permit, to be driven.
  48. 48
    To cause to be drawn; to mark out; to indicate; to determine.
  49. 49
    To encounter or incur (a danger or risk).
  50. 50
    To put at hazard; to venture; to risk.
  51. 51
    To tease with sarcasms and ridicule.
  52. 52
    To sew (a seam) by passing the needle through material in a continuous line, generally taking a series of stitches on the needle at the same time.
  53. 53
    To control or have precedence in a card game.
  54. 54
    To be in form thus, as a combination of words.
  55. 55
    To be popularly known; to be generally received.
  56. 56
    To have growth or development.
  57. 57
    To tend, as to an effect or consequence; to incline.
  58. 58
    To have a legal course; to be attached; to continue in force, effect, or operation; to follow; to go in company.
  59. 59
    To encounter or suffer (a particular, usually bad, fate or misfortune).
  60. 60
    To strike (the ball) in such a way as to cause it to run along the ground, as when approaching a hole.
  61. 61
    To speedrun.
  62. 62
    To eject from a game or match.
  63. 63
    To press (a bank, etc.) with immediate demands for payment.

Etymology

From Middle English runnen, rennen (“to run”), alteration (due to the past participle runne, runnen, yronne) of Middle English rinnen (“to run”), from Old English rinnan, iernan (“to run”) and Old Norse rinna (“to run”), both from Proto-Germanic *rinnaną (“to run”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reyH- (“to boil, churn”). Cognate with Scots rin (“to run”), West Frisian rinne (“to walk, march”), archaic Dutch rinnen (“to flow”, still in geronnen), German rinnen (“to flow”), Swedish rinna (“to flow”), and Icelandic renna (“to flow”). From the causative Proto-Germanic *rannijaną (“to make run”) are Dutch rennen, German rennen, Danish rende, Swedish ränna (all “to run”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian rend (“to run, run after”). See also random.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Frequency rank: #309 in English

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "run"?
"run" is spelled R-U-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹʌn/.
What does "run" mean?
As a verb, "run" means: To move swiftly.
What words are commonly confused with "run"?
"run" is commonly confused with "RV", "RW", "rye". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "run"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "run" is /ɹʌn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "run"?
From Middle English runnen, rennen (“to run”), alteration (due to the past participle runne, runnen, yronne) of Middle English rinnen (“to run”), from Old English rinnan, iernan (“to run”) and Old Norse rinna (“to run”), both from Proto-Germanic *... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Nearby English words

Other entries that begin with the letter R in our English index:

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Data Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Frequency data from Wordfreq. Misspellings derived from Hunspell dictionaries.