Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Run \Run\, v. i. [imp. {Ran}or {Run}; p. p. {Run}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Running}.] [OE. rinnen, rennen (imp. ran, p. p. runnen,
   ronnen). AS. rinnan to flow (imp. ran, p. p. gerunnen), and
   iernan, irnan, to run (imp. orn, arn, earn, p. p. urnen);
   akin to D. runnen, rennen, OS. & OHG. rinnan, G. rinnen,
   rennen, Icel. renna, rinna, Sw. rinna, r["a]nna, Dan. rinde,
   rende, Goth. rinnan, and perh. to L. oriri to rise, Gr. ? to
   stir up, rouse, Skr. ? (cf. {Origin}), or perh. to L. rivus
   brook (cf. {Rival}). [root]11. Cf. {Ember}, a., {Rennet}.]
   1. To move, proceed, advance, pass, go, come, etc., swiftly,
      smoothly, or with quick action; -- said of things animate
      or inanimate. Hence, to flow, glide, or roll onward, as a
      stream, a snake, a wagon, etc.; to move by quicker action
      than in walking, as a person, a horse, a dog.
      Specifically:

   2. Of voluntary or personal action:
      (a) To go swiftly; to pass at a swift pace; to hasten.

                ``Ha, ha, the fox!'' and after him they ran.
                                                  --Chaucer.
      (b) To flee, as from fear or danger.

                As from a bear a man would run for life. --Shak.
      (c) To steal off; to depart secretly.

                My conscience will serve me to run from this
                jew.                              --Shak.
      (d) To contend in a race; hence, to enter into a contest;
          to become a candidate; as, to run for Congress.

                Know ye not that they which run in a race run
                all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that
                ye may obtain.                    --1 Cor. ix.
                                                  24.
      (e) To pass from one state or condition to another; to
          come into a certain condition; -- often with in or
          into; as, to run into evil practices; to run in debt.

                Have I not cause to rave and beat my breast, to
                rend my heart with grief and run distracted?
                                                  --Addison.
      (f) To exert continuous activity; to proceed; as, to run
          through life; to run in a circle.
      (g) To pass or go quickly in thought or conversation; as,
          to run from one subject to another.

                Virgil, in his first Georgic, has run into a set
                of precepts foreign to his subject. --Addison.
      (h) To discuss; to continue to think or speak about
          something; -- with on.
      (i) To make numerous drafts or demands for payment, as
          upon a bank; -- with on.
      (j) To creep, as serpents.

   3. Of involuntary motion:
      (a) To flow, as a liquid; to ascend or descend; to course;
          as, rivers run to the sea; sap runs up in the spring;
          her blood ran cold.
      (b) To proceed along a surface; to extend; to spread.

                The fire ran along upon the ground. --Ex. ix.
                                                  23.
      (c) To become fluid; to melt; to fuse.

                As wax dissolves, as ice begins to run.
                                                  --Addison.

                Sussex iron ores run freely in the fire.
                                                  --Woodward.
      (d) To turn, as a wheel; to revolve on an axis or pivot;
          as, a wheel runs swiftly round.
      (e) To travel; to make progress; to be moved by mechanical
          means; to go; as, the steamboat runs regularly to
          Albany; the train runs to Chicago.
      (f) To extend; to reach; as, the road runs from
          Philadelphia to New York; the memory of man runneth
          not to the contrary.

                She saw with joy the line immortal run, Each
                sire impressed, and glaring in his son. --Pope.
      (g) To go back and forth from place to place; to ply; as,
          the stage runs between the hotel and the station.

Ran \Ran\, n. [As. r[=a]n.]
   Open robbery. [Obs.] --Lambarde.

Ran \Ran\, n. (Naut.)
   Yarns coiled on a spun-yarn winch.

Ran \Ran\,
   imp. of {Run}.

Source : WordNet®

run
     n 1: a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases
          safely; "the Yankees scored 3 runs in the bottom of the
          9th"; "their first tally came in the 3rd inning" [syn: {tally}]
     2: the act of testing something; "in the experimental trials
        the amount of carbon was measured separately"; "he called
        each flip of the coin a new trial" [syn: {test}, {trial}]
     3: a race run on foot; "she broke the record for the half-mile
        run" [syn: {footrace}, {foot race}]
     4: an unbroken series of events; "had a streak of bad luck";
        "Nicklaus had a run of birdies" [syn: {streak}]
     5: (American football) a play in which a player runs with the
        ball; "the defensive line braced to stop the run"; "the
        coach put great emphasis on running" [syn: {running}, {running
        play}, {running game}]
     6: a regular trip; "the ship made its run in record time"
     7: the act of running; traveling on foot at a fast pace; "he
        broke into a run"; "his daily run keeps him fit" [syn: {running}]
     8: the continuous period of time during which something (a
        machine or a factory) operates or continues in operation;
        "the assembly line was on a 12-hour run"
     9: unrestricted freedom to use; "he has the run of the house"
     10: the production achieved during a continuous period of
         operation (of a machine or factory etc.); "a daily run of
         100,000 gallons of paint"
     11: a small stream [syn: {rivulet}, {rill}, {runnel}, {streamlet}]
     12: a race between candidates for elective office; "I managed
         his campaign for governor"; "he is raising money for a
         Senate run" [syn: {political campaign}, {campaign}]
     13: a row of unravelled stitches; "she got a run in her
         stocking" [syn: {ladder}, {ravel}]
     14: the pouring forth of a fluid [syn: {discharge}, {outpouring}]
     15: an unbroken chronological sequence; "the play had a long run
         on Broadway"; "the team enjoyed a brief run of victories"
     16: a short trip; "take a run into town"
     [also: {running}, {ran}]

run
     v 1: move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground
          at any given time; "Don't run--you'll be out of breath";
          "The children ran to the store"
     2: flee; take to one's heels; cut and run; "If you see this
        man, run!"; "The burglars escaped before the police showed
        up" [syn: {scarper}, {turn tail}, {lam}, {run away}, {hightail
        it}, {bunk}, {head for the hills}, {take to the woods}, {escape},
         {fly the coop}, {break away}]
     3: stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or
        extend between two points or beyond a certain point;
        "Service runs all the way to Cranbury"; "His knowledge
        doesn't go very far"; "My memory extends back to my fourth
        year of life"; "The facts extend beyond a consideration of
        her personal assets" [syn: {go}, {pass}, {lead}, {extend}]
     4: direct or control; projects, businesses, etc.; "She is
        running a relief operation in the Sudan" [syn: {operate}]
     5: have a particular form; "the story or argument runs as
        follows"; "as the saying goes..." [syn: {go}]
     6: move along, of liquids; "Water flowed into the cave"; "the
        Missouri feeds into the Mississippi" [syn: {flow}, {feed},
         {course}]
     7: perform as expected when applied; "The washing machine won't
        go unless it's plugged in"; "Does this old car still run
        well?"; "This old radio doesn't work anymore" [syn: {function},
         {work}, {operate}, {go}] [ant: {malfunction}]
     8: change or be different within limits; "Estimates for the
        losses in the earthquake range as high as $2 billion";
        "Interest rates run from 5 to 10 percent"; "The
        instruments ranged from tuba to cymbals"; "My students
        range from very bright to dull" [syn: {range}]
     9: run, stand, or compete for an office or a position; "Who's
        running for treasurer this year?" [syn: {campaign}]
     10: cause to emit recorded sounds; "They ran the tapes over and
         over again"; "Can you play my favorite record?" [syn: {play}]
     11: move about freely and without restraint, or act as if
         running around in an uncontrolled way; "who are these
         people running around in the building?"; "She runs around
         telling everyone of her troubles"; "let the dogs run
         free"
     12: have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be
         inclined; "She tends to be nervous before her lectures";
         "These dresses run small"; "He inclined to corpulence"
         [syn: {tend}, {be given}, {lean}, {incline}]
     13: carry out a process or program, as on a computer or a
         machine; "Run the dishwasher"; "run a new program on the
         Mac"; "the computer executed the instruction" [syn: {execute}]
     14: be operating, running or functioning; "The car is still
         running--turn it off!" [ant: {idle}]
     15: change from one state to another; "run amok"; "run rogue";
         "run riot"
     16: cause to perform; "run a subject"; "run a process"
     17: be affected by; be subjected to; "run a temperature"; "run a
         risk"
     18: continue to exist; "These stories die hard"; "The legend of
         Elvis endures" [syn: {prevail}, {persist}, {die hard}, {endure}]
     19: occur persistently; "Musical talent runs in the family"
     20: include as the content; broadcast or publicize; "We ran the
         ad three times"; "This paper carries a restaurant
         review"; "All major networks carried the press
         conference" [syn: {carry}]
     21: carry out; "run an errand"
     22: guide or pass over something; "He ran his eyes over her
         body"; "She ran her fingers along the carved figurine";
         "He drew her hair through his fingers" [syn: {guide}, {draw},
          {pass}]
     23: cause something to pass or lead somewhere; "Run the wire
         behind the cabinet" [syn: {lead}]
     24: make without a miss
     25: deal in illegally, such as arms or liquor [syn: {black
         market}]
     26: cause an animal to move fast; "run the dogs"
     27: be diffused; "These dyes and colors are guaranteed not to
         run" [syn: {bleed}]
     28: sail before the wind
     29: cover by running; run a certain distance; "She ran 10 miles
         that day"
     30: extend or continue for a certain period of time; "The film
         runs 5 hours" [syn: {run for}]
     31: set animals loose to graze
     32: keep company; "the heifers run with the bulls ot produce
         offspring" [syn: {consort}]
     33: run with the ball; in such sports as football
     34: travel rapidly, by any (unspecified) means; "Run to the
         store!"; "She always runs to Italy, because she has a
         lover there"
     35: travel a route regularly; "Ships ply the waters near the
         coast" [syn: {ply}]
     36: pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals); "Goering
         often hunted wild boars in Poland"; "The dogs are running
         deer"; "The Duke hunted in these woods" [syn: {hunt}, {hunt
         down}, {track down}]
     37: compete in a race; "he is running the Marathon this year";
         "let's race and see who gets there first" [syn: {race}]
     38: progress by being changed; "The speech has to go through
         several more drafts"; "run through your presentation
         before the meeting" [syn: {move}, {go}]
     39: reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid
         state, usually by heating; "melt butter"; "melt down
         gold"; "The wax melted in the sun" [syn: {melt}, {melt
         down}]
     40: come unraveled or undone as if by snagging; "Her nylons were
         running" [syn: {ladder}]
     41: become undone; "the sweater unraveled" [syn: {unravel}]
     [also: {running}, {ran}]

ran
     See {run}