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run-up

noun
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\ ˈrən-ˌəp How to pronounce run-up (audio) \

Definition of run-up

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the act of running up something
2 : a usually sudden increase in volume or price
3 : a period immediately preceding an action or event

run up

verb
ran up; run up; running up; runs up

Definition of run up (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to grow rapidly : shoot up

transitive verb

1 : bid up
2 : to stitch together quickly
3 : to erect hastily
4 : to achieve by accumulating ran up a big lead

Examples of run-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb That day, climbers ran up and down the mountain, looking for specific problems and trying their hardest to complete them. — Sasha Digiulian, Outside Online, "Why Sasha DiGiulian Lobbies Congress in Her Free Time," 13 Nov. 2019 Independent businesses run up and down Main Street. — Logan Jaffe, ProPublica, "Revisiting an American Town Where Black People Weren’t Welcome After Dark," 7 Nov. 2019 The entire setup means no running up and down for a cold drink. — Carisha Swanson, House Beautiful, "This Media Room Is Perfect for Movie Nights," 14 Oct. 2019 The Utes have a running game that is every bit as strong as Oklahoma State, which ran up and down the field against the Beavers. — oregonlive, "Oregon State Beavers vs. Utah Utes football: Preview, how to watch, key stats, notes,," 11 Oct. 2019 An uncomfortable tingling is running up and down my spine. — Juliet Rieden, Town & Country, "How One Writer Uncovered the Truth About the Family She Lost in the Holocaust," 3 Oct. 2019 Imagine Joe DiMaggio as a schoolboy running up and down the stairwells in the ’20s. — Christopher Reynolds, chicagotribune.com, "In San Francisco’s North Beach, pasta, poetry and a big helping of uncertainty," 27 Sep. 2019 Imagine Joe DiMaggio as a schoolboy running up and down the stairwells in the ’20s. — Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, "In San Francisco’s North Beach, pasta, poetry and a big helping of uncertainty," 14 Sep. 2019 However, anticipate running up and down stairs to bring in groceries, get something from the garage, and answer the doorbell. — Anchorage Daily News, "The first thing to pay attention to when you’re checking out a house for sale," 8 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'run-up.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of run-up

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

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Time Traveler for run-up

Time Traveler

The first known use of run-up was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Run-up.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/run-up. Accessed 14 December 2019.

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More Definitions for run-up

run-up

noun
How to pronounce run up (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of run-up

: a usually sudden increase in price
: the period immediately before an action or event

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Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with run-up

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