running

¹running

noun

Definition of RUNNING

1

a : the action of running

b : race

2

: physical condition for running

3

: management, care

— in the running

1

: competing in a contest

2

: having a chance to win a contest

— out of the running

1

: not competing in a contest

2

: having no chance of winning a contest

Examples of RUNNING

1. He took up running for exercise.
2. They go running every evening.

First Known Use of RUNNING

before 12th century

Related to RUNNING

Synonyms

administration, care, charge, control, direction, governance, government, guidance, handling, intendance, management, operation, oversight, presidency, regulation, conduct, stewardship, superintendence, superintendency, supervision

Related Words

generalship, leadership, rulership; agency; aegis (also egis), custody, guardianship, keeping, lap, protection, safekeeping, trust, tutelage, ward; engineering, logistics, machination, manipulation; coadministration, codirection, comanagement

Rhymes with RUNNING

cunning, stunning

²running

adjective

Definition of RUNNING

1

: cursive, flowing

2

: fluid, runny

3

a : incessant, continuous <a running battle>

b : made during the course of a process or activity <a running commentary on the game>

4

: measured in a straight line <cost of lumber per running foot>

5

a : initiated or performed while running or with a running start <a running catch> <a running jump>

b : of, relating to, or being a football play in which the ball is advanced by running rather than by passing <their running game was off>

c : designed for use by runners <a running track> <running shoes>

6

: fitted or trained for running rather than walking, trotting, or jumping <a running horse>

Examples of RUNNING

1. Never add fuel to a running engine.
2. The farmer had a running battle with pests and disease.
3. The major television stations provided running commentaries on the election results.
4. She kept a running total of their expenses on the trip.

First Known Use of RUNNING

14th century

Related to RUNNING

Synonyms

alive, functional, functioning, going, live, living, on, operating, operational, operative, active, working

Antonyms

broken, dead, inactive, inoperative, kaput (also kaputt), nonactivated, nonfunctional, nonfunctioning, nonoperating, nonoperational, nonoperative

Related Words

effective, effectual; employable, operable, usable (also useable), viable, workable; performing, producing, productive, serving, useful, yielding; astir, bustling, busy, dynamic, flourishing, humming, roaring, thriving

Near Antonyms

deactivated, decommissioned; ineffective, ineffectual, useless; inoperable, unusable, unworkable; arrested, asleep, dormant, fallow, idle, inert, latent, lifeless, nonproductive, quiescent, sleepy, stagnating, unproductive, vegetating

³running

adverb

Definition of RUNNING

: in succession : consecutively <three days running>

Examples of RUNNING

1. He has won the competition three times running.
2. <he won the championship five times running>

First Known Use of RUNNING

1719

Related to RUNNING

Synonyms

back-to-back, hand running [dialect], consecutively, sequentially, seriatim, successionally, successively, together

Related Words

serially; constantly, continually, continuingly, continuously, night and day, repeatedly, unceasingly, uninterruptedly; subsequently

Near Antonyms

discontinuously, intermittently, interruptedly