run
gb/ɹˈʌn/ us/ɹˈʌn/
A1
English
~ 1500
fut, szalad, vezet, irányít, tart, eltart, folyik, csorog, elmenekül, menekül, elfut, elszökik, indul, működik, láza van, lázas
VERB
A1
1
Usage pattern:
to run [to/from/through] [a place]
She runs five miles every morning before work.
Minden reggel lefut öt mérföldet munka előtt.
The children ran across the playground.
A gyerekek átfutottak a játszótéren.
I had to run to catch the bus.
He runs faster than anyone in his class.
Learner examples
I run to school every day.
Minden nap iskolába futok.
The dog runs in the park.
A kutya a parkban fut.
We run to the shop.
They run after the ball.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'run' with 'walk fast'; running requires both feet to be off the ground at times.
Meaning
Move quickly using legs
Collocations
run fast
|run away
|run home
|run a race
Synonyms
sprint (Implies running at maximum speed for a short distance.)
Antonyms
walk (Walking is slower and always has one foot on the ground.)
Themes
daily life
|sports
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To move fast by using your legs, faster than walking.
To move at a speed faster than walking by taking both feet off the ground alternately.
VERB
A2
2
Usage pattern:
to run [a business/event/machine]
She runs a small café in the city center.
Egy kis kávézót vezet a belvárosban.
He runs the marketing department at his firm.
A cégénél ő vezeti a marketingosztályt.
The software runs on all major operating systems.
They run several community projects.
Learner examples
My father runs a shop.
Az apám egy boltot vezet.
He runs the computer program.
Ő futtatja a számítógépes programot.
She runs a big company.
They run the school club.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'run' in this sense means physically moving; here it means managing or operating.
Meaning
Operate or manage something
Collocations
run a company
|run a shop
|run a program
|run a machine
Synonyms
manage (More formal; emphasizes administrative control.)
Antonyms
neglect (To fail to care for or manage properly.)
Themes
business
|technology
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To be the boss of or control something like a shop or program.
To be in charge of or operate a business, system, or activity.
VERB
B1
3
Usage pattern:
to run [for/until] [time period]
The play will run for three weeks.
A darab három hétig fog menni.
The meeting ran over by 30 minutes.
A megbeszélés 30 perccel túlnyúlt.
Her contract runs until next year.
Learner examples
The movie runs for two hours.
A film két óráig tart.
The class runs until 4 p.m.
Az óra délután 4-ig tart.
The game will run for one hour.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse this with physically running; here it refers to time duration.
Meaning
Continue for some time
Collocations
run for hours
|run until midnight
|run over schedule
Synonyms
last (Neutral; focuses on duration rather than ongoing operation.)
Antonyms
stop (To come to an end.)
Themes
time
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To keep going for a certain amount of time.
To last or continue for a particular period of time.
VERB
A2
4
Usage pattern:
[liquid] runs [somewhere]
Tears ran down her cheeks.
Könnyek folytak végig az arcán.
A river runs through the valley.
Egy folyó folyik át a völgyön.
Water was running from the tap.
Learner examples
Water runs down the street.
A víz lefolyik az utcán.
My nose runs when I am sick.
Folyik az orrom, amikor beteg vagyok.
The river runs to the sea.
Meaning
Flow like liquid or gas
Collocations
nose runs
|river runs through
|water runs down
Synonyms
flow (Neutral; describes smooth continuous movement of liquid.)
Antonyms
dry up (For liquid to stop flowing because there is none left.)
Themes
nature
|science
|core_vocabulary
Definition
For water, gas, or another thing to move from one place to another.
For a liquid, gas, or similar substance to move freely in a particular direction.
VERB
A2
5
Usage pattern:
to run away [from someone/something]
The prisoner ran from the guards.
A fogoly elmenekült az őrök elől.
She ran away from home when she was sixteen.
Tizenhat évesen elszökött otthonról.
The thief ran as soon as he saw the police.
Learner examples
I run from the dog.
Elfutok a kutya elől.
He ran away from home.
Elmenekült otthonról.
They run from the fire.
Meaning
Escape by running away
Collocations
run away from home
|run from police
Synonyms
flee (More formal; used especially for escaping danger.)
Antonyms
stay (To not leave; remain in place.)
Themes
crime
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To go away fast from danger or someone chasing you.
To leave or get away from a place or person quickly by running, often to avoid danger or capture.
VERB
B1
6
indul
B1
Usage pattern:
to run [in/for] [a race/position]
She is running for mayor of the city.
Indul a város polgármesteri posztjáért.
He ran in last year's marathon.
Tavaly indult a maratonon.
Several candidates are running for office.
Learner examples
She runs for president.
Elnöknek indul.
He runs in the race.
Indul a versenyen.
They run for class leader.
Meaning
Compete in race or election
Collocations
run for president
|run in a marathon
Synonyms
contest (Formal; usually refers to elections.)
Antonyms
withdraw (To stop competing or remove oneself from consideration.)
Themes
sports
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To try to win in a race or election.
To take part as a competitor in a race or as a candidate in an election.
VERB
B1
7
He's been running a fever since yesterday.
Tegnap óta láza van.
The clock runs on solar power.
Az óra napenergiával működik.
This model runs on electricity only.
Learner examples
I run a fever today.
Ma lázam van.
The car runs on gas.
Az autó benzinnel működik.
The toy runs on batteries.
Meaning
Be in state due to internal processes or energy flow
Collocations
run a fever
|run on batteries
Synonyms
function (For machines; emphasizes working state.)
Antonyms
malfunction (For machines; emphasizes failure to operate properly.)
Themes
health
|technology
|science
Definition
To have something happen inside you or a machine, like being hot with fever or working with electricity.
To operate or be affected internally by something such as heat, current, or illness symptoms.
Grammar
Dictionary form
run
IPA
GB/ɹˈʌn/
US/ɹˈʌn/
Syllables & stress
run (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (run)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: run
- 3rd Person Singular: runs
- Present Participle: running
- Past: ran
- Past Participle: run
Word family
Forms
runs
verb
running
verb
ran
verb
Core family
runner
noun A2
Related words
runny
adjective
runaway
noun
Advanced or less common
rerun
verb
overrun
verb
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: running Verb
- Irregular past: ran Verb
- Irregular past participle: run Verb
Expressions
run for it
1/ɹˈʌn fɚ ˈɪt/
idiom
informal
Escape quickly by running suddenly
To suddenly start running to get away from danger or something bad.
Examples
- When they saw the guard, they decided to run for it.
- We had to run for it when the rain started pouring.
in the long run
1/ˈɪn ðə lˈɔŋ ɹˈʌn/
idiom
Eventually, after a long time
After much time has passed, considering the final result.
Examples
- In the long run, investing in education pays off.
- It will be cheaper in the long run to buy quality products.
- In the long run, this decision will save money.
- It may be hard now, but it will be worth it in the long run.
- In the long run, regular exercise benefits your health.
- It might be hard now, but in the long run you'll be happier.
in the long run
2/ˈɪn ðə lˈɔŋ ɹˈʌn/
idiom
over a long time, final effect
After a long time has passed, thinking about the final result.
Examples
- In the long run, investing in education pays off.
- You may feel tired now, but exercise will help you in the long run.
run late
1/ɹˈʌn lˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
Be delayed beyond expected time
To be behind schedule and later than planned.
Examples
- Sorry, I'm running late for our meeting.
- Sorry I'm running late; traffic is bad today.
- I'm running late for my meeting.
- Sorry, I'm running late because of traffic.
- Sorry I'm running late — traffic was bad.
- Sorry I'm running late for the meeting.
- Sorry I'm running late; there was traffic.
- I’m running late for my appointment.
- Sorry, I’m running late for our meeting.
- Sorry I'm running late for our meeting.
- The train is running late today.
- The meeting is running late because the speaker arrived late.
- The train is running late because of bad weather.
- The train is running late due to bad weather.
- We might run late if this meeting takes too long.
- The meeting is running late today.
- Trains are running late due to bad weather.
run late
2/ɹˈʌn lˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
Be delayed beyond expected time
To be behind schedule and later than planned.
Examples
- Sorry I'm running late for our meeting.
- The train is running late due to bad weather.
run into trouble
1/ɹˈʌn ˈɪntu tɹˈʌbəl/
fixed phrase
Have problems unexpectedly during something
To have problems that you did not expect while doing something.
Examples
- We ran into trouble when our car broke down on the way home.
- We ran into trouble when our car broke down.
- We ran into trouble when the car broke down.
- We ran into trouble when our car broke down on the trip.
- We ran into trouble when our car broke down halfway there.
- We ran into trouble when our car broke down on vacation.
- The project ran into trouble when we lost funding.
- The project ran into trouble due to lack of funding.
- The project ran into trouble due to budget cuts.
- She ran into trouble with her project at work.
- He ran into trouble with his taxes.
- The project ran into trouble after losing funding.
- He ran into trouble with his taxes last year.
- She ran into trouble with her taxes this year.
- He ran into trouble at work after missing several deadlines.
- The project ran into trouble because of budget cuts.
- He ran into trouble with the law last year.
run out of
1/ɹˈʌn ˈaʊt əv/
phrasal verb
Use all of something up
To finish all of something and have no more left.
Examples
- We ran out of milk this morning.
- We've run out of milk, so I'll go buy some.
- We've run out of milk, so I'll buy more.
- We've run out of milk, so I'll go buy more.
- We've run out of milk, so I'll go buy some more.
- We’ve run out of milk, so I need to go to the store.
- We've run out of milk, so I need to go shopping.
- We ran out of water during the hike.
- They ran out of time before finishing the exam.
- He ran out of time before finishing the test.
- She ran out of time during the exam.
- She ran out of time before finishing the test.
- The printer ran out of paper during the meeting.
- I can't print because I've run out of paper.
- He ran out of money before the end of the month.
- She ran out of patience and left the meeting.
- She ran out of time before finishing the exam.
- Hurry up, we’re running out of time!
- The printer ran out of ink in the middle of the job.
- If we keep spending like this, we’ll run out of money by next month.
run out of
4/ɹˈʌn ˈaʊt əv/
phrasal verb
use all of a supply
To have no more of something because it has all been used.
Examples
- We ran out of time before the last question.
- The car ran out of gas on the highway.
- Don't forget to order more cups; we're running out of cups.
Learner examples
- I ran out of money at the end of the trip.
- We are running out of ideas.