Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A person or animal that has run away.
  • noun Something that has escaped control or proper confinement.
  • noun Informal An easy victory.
  • adjective Escaping or having escaped restraint, captivity, or control.
  • adjective Out of control.
  • adjective Easily won.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who flees or departs; a fugitive; a deserter.
  • noun A running away, as by a horse when breaking away from control and bolting.
  • noun One who runs in the public ways; one who roves or rambles about.
  • Acting the part of a runaway; escaping or breaking from control; defying or overcoming restraint: as, a runaway horse.
  • Accomplished or effected by running away or eloping.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who, or that which, flees from danger, duty, restraint, etc.; a fugitive.
  • noun The act of running away, esp. of a horse or teams.
  • adjective Running away; fleeing from danger, duty, restraint, etc..
  • adjective Accomplished by running away or elopement, or during flight.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A person or animal that runs away or has run away; a person, animal, or organization that escapes limitations.
  • noun A train that is out of control.
  • noun An object or process that is out of control or out of equilibrium.
  • noun An overwhelming victory.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective completely out of control
  • noun someone who flees from an uncongenial situation
  • noun an easy victory
  • verb escape from the control of
  • verb flee; take to one's heels; cut and run

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

run +‎ away

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Examples

  • And you know, the left is cheering this as finally we're enforcing the law against what they call runaway companies, moving to other parts of the country.

    Obama's Oil Panic 2011

  • ELLIOTT: Holton says it's time to stop policing the world and slow down what he describes as a runaway entitlement system.

    News 2012

  • Speaking to a record gathering at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, both decried what they termed a runaway expansion of government under President Barack Obama.

    latimes.com - News 2011

  • And they have hammered at the ballooning US national debt and what they described as runaway government spending, vowing to cut taxes and rein in Washington.

    canada.com Top Stories 2010

  • And they have hammered at the ballooning US national debt and what they described as runaway government spending, vowing to cut taxes and rein in Washington.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2010

  • And they have hammered at the ballooning US national debt and what they described as runaway government spending, vowing to cut taxes and rein in Washington.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2010

  • And they have hammered at the ballooning US national debt and what they described as runaway government spending, vowing to cut taxes and rein in Washington.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2010

  • And they have hammered at the ballooning US national debt and what they described as runaway government spending, vowing to cut taxes and rein in Washington.

    canada.com Top Stories 2010

  • And they have hammered at the ballooning US national debt and what they described as runaway government spending, vowing to cut taxes and rein in Washington.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2010

  • And they have hammered at the ballooning US national debt and what they described as runaway government spending, vowing to cut taxes and rein in Washington.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2010

Comments

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  • WeirdNet (#1, 2, 4).

    "Five Pounds Reward.

    RUN away from the Subscriber, in Richmond Town, the 28th of June, a likely Negro Man named YORK, about 23 Years of Age, five Feet nine or ten Inches high, well made, has a Scar upon one of his Wrists, occasioned by a Burn, but I cannot tell which. Whoever delivers him to me, or secures him in any of his Majesty's Jails, so that I get him again, shall have the above Reward, besides what the Law allows.

    DICK HOLLAND.

    RUN away from the Subscriber, in Cumberland County, about the 7th of July, a likely Virginia born Negro Man named MOSES, about 24 Years of Age, and middle sized; had on, when he went away, a brown Linen Shirt, Hempen Rolls Breeches, white Plains Waistcoat, and Castor Hat about Half worn; carried with him a new Felt Hat, a Pair of Shoes, Worsted and Thread Stockings, a short striped Holland Coat and Waistcoat, and a Pair of Leather Breeches, which makes it probable he may alter his Dress. He is a sensible Fellow, and a great Rogue; pretends to have a Wife at Mr. Emanuel Jones's, in Williamsburg, where it is probable he may be hiding. Whoever will take up the said Negro, and secure him in any Jail, so that I get him again, shall have 40s. shillings Reward, and if brought to me 3l. £.

    HENRY MACON.

    RUN away from the Subscriber, in Westmoreland County, on Sunday Night the 10th of July, a Scotch Convict Servant named THOMAS SCOTT, by Trade a Tailor, about five Feet seven Inches and a Half high, rather slim made, pretty much marked with the Smallpox, wears his own light coloured Hair tied behind, has a down Look, is much inclined to drinking, fond of playing at Cards, will push himself into any Company, speaks much in the Scotch Dialect, and is fond of singing Songs; had on, when he went away, a Kind of Drab Cloth Coat, black Cloth Waistcoat, white short Osnabrug Breeches, white Thread Stockings, a black Silk Handkerchief about his Neck, and a Pair of double rimmed Silver Plated Buckles in his Shoes. He stole, and carried with him, a Pink coloured Duroy Coat and red Poplin Waistcoat they were only cut out, but I make no Doubt of his having got them made up, and wearing of them; also some Silver Lace, with which I imagine he will lace his Hat, which is not very old, though not very fine, and several coats and fine Shirts. He made an Attempt to get over Mr. Fantleroy's Ferry on Rappahannock River, but did not succeed. Whoever will bring the said Servant to me, or secures him so that I get him again, shall have a Reward of 10l. £ besides what the Law allows.

    RICHARD CADDEEN."

    Virginia Gazette (Purdie & Dixon), August 4, 1774

    January 30, 2009

  • MAJOR earworm alert.

    January 31, 2009

  • You mean Run Runaway?! *immediately rocks out*

    January 31, 2009

  • I was thinking 'Psycho Killer'.

    January 31, 2009

  • I'm a-walkin' in the rain,

    Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain,

    Wishin' you were here by me,

    To end this misery

    And I wonder... I WAH WAH WAH WAH wonder.

    Why... WHY WHY WHY WHY she ran away?

    And I wonder

    Where she will stay

    My little Runaway.

    My Run Run Run Run Runaway.

    Del Shannon was like a god to me.

    January 31, 2009

  • Skip, you have the best earworms ever.

    February 1, 2009

  • I love that song, skip. But it's not an earworm for me.

    February 1, 2009