runner

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. someone who carries messages or does small jobs for a team.

n. a person employed to carry messages, collect items, or perform errands, especially in a film studio or office.

“He got a job as a runner on a movie set to learn how films are made.”

“The production runner spent the afternoon delivering revised scripts to the lead actors and ensuring the catering arrived on schedule.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a long, narrow rug for a hallway or a long cloth for a table.

n. a long, narrow carpet designed for corridors or stairs, or a decorative strip of fabric placed across a table.

“We bought a red runner to protect the wooden floor in the hallway.”

“The interior designer suggested a silk table runner to add a touch of elegance to the dining room without covering the mahogany wood.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Botany Technical

n. a stem that grows along the ground and starts new plants.

n. a slender horizontal stem, or stolon, that grows along the soil surface and takes root at intervals to form new plants.

“Strawberry plants spread quickly because they send out runners.”

“The gardener carefully clipped the runners to ensure the parent plant directed its energy toward fruit production rather than vegetative expansion.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a part of a machine or object that slides, like the blade on an ice skate.

n. a part on which something slides, such as the blade of an ice skate or the rail of a drawer.

“The runners on the old wooden drawer were stuck, making it hard to open.”

“The bobsleigh's steel runners must be polished to a mirror finish to minimize friction against the ice during the descent.”

B1 · Intermediate Plural noun British English · Dialect

n. comfortable shoes used for running or casual wear.

n. a pair of lightweight, cushioned shoes designed for athletic activities.

“Don't forget to pack your runners for the gym tomorrow.”

“He laced up his runners and headed out for a quick jog before the rain started.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal

n. a person who secretly brings illegal goods into a place.

n. a person who engages in the illicit transport of goods, often used in compounds like 'gun-runner' or 'rum-runner'.

“The coast guard caught the blockade runner trying to enter the port.”

“Historical accounts describe the daring exploits of blockade runners who supplied the besieged city during the naval embargo.”

C2 · Proficiency Slang · British English

n. to run away from a place to avoid trouble.

n. an act of fleeing or making a quick escape, typically to avoid payment or capture.

“The teenagers did a runner from the restaurant without paying the bill.”

“After the window shattered, the suspects did a runner before the police could arrive at the scene.”