running (adj.) prp. adjective from run (v.). Running mate originally was a horse entered in a race to set the pace for another from the same stable who was intended to win (1865); U.S. vice-presidential sense is recorded from 1888. Running dog first recorded 1937, from Chinese and N.Korean communist phrases used to describe supposed imperialist lackeys, cf. Mandarin zou gou "running dog," on the notion of a dog that runs at its master's command. Running board first attested 1817, in reference to ships and boats. running (n.) verbal noun from run (v.); to be in (or out) of the running "among" (or "not among") "the lead competitors in a race" (1863) is a metaphor from horse racing, where make the running "set the pace" is recorded from 1837. cursive 1784, from Fr. cursif (18c.), from M.L. cursivus "running," from L. cursus "a running," from pp. of currere "to run" (see current). The notion is of "written with a running hand" (without raising the pen), as opposed to uncial. current (adj.) c.1300, "running, flowing," from O.Fr. corant "running, lively, eager, swift," prp. of corre "to run," from L. currere "to run, move quickly" (of persons or things), from PIE *kers- "to run" (cf. Gk. -khouros "running," Lith. karsiu "go quickly," O.N. horskr "swift," O.Ir., M.Welsh carr "cart, wagon," Bret. karr "chariot," Welsh carrog "torrent"). Meaning "prevalent, generally accepted" is from 1560s. Adrastea "nemesis," daughter of Zeus, distributor of rewards and punishments, from Gk. Adrasteia, lit. "she from whom there is no escape," from adrastos "not running away," from privative prefix a- + stem of drasmos "a running away," related to dromos "course" (see dromedary). flume late 12c., "stream," from O.Fr. flum "running water, stream, river," from L. flumen "flood, stream, running water," from fluere "to flow" (see fluent). In U.S., used especially of artificial streams channeled for some industrial purpose. long-running (adj.) 1943, of theatrical productions, from long (adj.) + running. palindrome (n.) "line that reads the same backward and forward," 1620s, from Gk. palindromos "a recurrence," lit. "a running back," from palin "again, back" (from PIE root *kwel- "move round," with notion of "revolving; see cycle (n.)) + dromos "a running" (see dromedary). Related: Palindromic. course late 13c., "onward movement," from O.Fr. cors (12c.) "course; run, running; flow of a river," from L. cursus "a running race or course," from curs- pp. stem of currere "to run" (see current). Most extended senses (meals, etc.) are present in 14c. Academic meaning "planned series of study" is c.1600 (in French from 14c.). Phrase of course is attested from 1540s; lit. "of the ordinary course;" earlier in same sense was bi cours (c.1300). The verb is from 16c. Related: Coursed; coursing. syndrome (n.) "a number of symptoms occurring together," 1540s, from Modern Latin, from Gk. syndrome "concurrence of symptoms, concourse," from syndromos, lit. "running together," from syn- "with" (see syn-) + dromos "running, course" (see dromedary). Psychological sense is from 1955. dromedary (n.) late 13c., from O.Fr. dromedaire, from L.L. dromedarius "kind of camel," from L. dromas (gen. dromados), from Gk. dromas kamelos "running camel," from dromos "a race course," from PIE *drem-, from possible base *der- "to run, walk, step" (cf. Skt. dramati "runs, goes," Gk. dromas "running," M.H.G. tremen "to rock, shake, sway"). One-humped Arabian camels were bred and trained for riding. An early variant was drumbledairy (1560s). ember days O.E. Ymbrendaeg, Ymbren, 12 days of the year (divided into four seasonal periods, hence Latin name quatuor tempora) set aside by the Church for fasting and prayers, from O.E. ymbren "recurring," corruption of ymbryne "a circuit, revolution, course, anniversary," lit. "a running around," from ymb "round" (cognate with Gk. amphi, L. ambo; see ambi-) + ryne "course, running" (see run). Perhaps influenced by a corruption of the Latin name (cf. Ger. quatember). coryza (n.) 1630s, from medical Latin, from Gk. koryza "running at the nose." jogging (n.) 1560s, verbal noun from jog (v.). In the running exercise sense, from 1948. As an adjective, by 1971. race (n.1) "act of running," c.1300, from O.N. ras "running, rush (of water)," cognate with O.E. ræs, which became M.E. resen "attack, incursion," but did not survive into Modern English. Both the Norse and Old English words are from P.Gmc. *ræs- (cf. M.Du. rasen "to rave, rage," Ger. rasen). Originally a northern word, it became general in English c.1550. Meaning "contest of speed" first recorded 1510s. Race-horse is from 1620s. Meaning "strong current of water" is from late 14c., possibly influenced by O.Fr. raz, which had a similar meaning, and which probably is from Breton raz "a strait, narrow channel;" this French source also may have given race its meaning of "channel of a stream" (especially an artificial one to a mill), recorded from 1560s. jogger (n.) c.1700, "one who walks heavily," also "one who gives a sudden push;" agent noun from jog (v.). Running sense is from 1968. stadium (n.) late 14c., "a foot race, an ancient measure of length," from L. stadium "a measure of length, a race course" (commonly one-eighth of a Roman mile; translated in early English Bibles by furlong), from Gk. stadion "a measure of length, a running track," especially the track at Olympia, which was one stadium in length. The Greek word might literally mean "fixed standard of length" (from stadios "firm, fixed," from PIE root *sta- "to stand"), or it may be from spadion, from span "to draw up, pull," with form influenced by stadios. The meaning "running track," recorded in English from c.1600, was extended to mean in modern-day context "large, open oval structure with tiers of seats for viewing sporting events" (1834). Saskatchewan Canadian province, named for the river running through it, from Cree kis-si-ska-tches-wani-sipi "rapid flowing river." dhow (n.) 1799, original language unknown, "single-masted native vessel used on Arabian Sea," later widely applied to all Arab vessels. Klein suggests a relation to Pers. dav "running." tramp (n.) "person who wanders about, vagabond," 1660s, from tramp (v). Sense of "steamship which takes cargo wherever it can be traded" (as opposed to one running a regular line) is attested from c.1880. The meaning "promiscuous woman" is from 1922. flush (adj.) 1550s, "perfect, faultless;" c.1600, "abundant; plentifully supplied (with money, etc.)," perhaps from flush (v.) through the notion of a river running full, hence level with its banks. Meaning "even, level" is from 1620s. strum (v.) 1775, possibly imitative of the sound of running the fingers across the strings of a musical instrument. Related: Strummed; strumming. monoplane (n.) 1907, a hybrid coined from mono- + second element of aeroplane. In old planes the wings formed a single surface running across the fuselage. trolley 1823, in Suffolk dialect, "a cart," especially one with wheels flanged for running on a track (1858), probably from troll (v.) in the sense of "to roll." Sense transferred to "pulley to convey current to a streetcar motor" (1890), then "streetcar drawing power by a trolley" (1891). clothesline (n.) 1830, from clothes + line (n.). As a kind of high tackle in U.S. football (the effect is similar to running into a taut clothesline) attested by 1970; as a verb by 1959. shingle (n.2) "loose stones on seashore," 1510s, probably related to Norw. singl "small stones," or N.Fris. singel "gravel," both said to be echoic of the sound of water running over pebbles. prodromal (adj.) 1717, from Mod.L. prodromus, from Gk. prodrome "a running forward." galvanism (n.) "electricity produced by chemical action," 1797, from Fr. galvanisme or It. galvanismo, from Italian physicist Luigi Galvani (1737-1798) who discovered it c.1792 while running currents through the legs of dead frogs. footman (n.) c.1300, "foot soldier;" late 14c., "one who goes on foot;" as a personal attendant, originally one who ran before or alongside his master's carriage, announcing its arrival (and keeping it from tipping over). The modern, non-jogging servant sense is from c.1700, though the running footmen still were in service mid-18c. From foot (n.) + man (n.). outstrip (v.) 1570s, "to pass in running," from out + M.E. strip "move quickly," of unknown origin. Figurative sense of "to excel or surpass in anything" is from 1590s. Related: Outstripped; outstripping. concourse (n.) late 14c., from M.Fr. concours, from L. concursus "a running together," from pp. of concurrere (see concur). Originally "the flowing of a crowd of people;" sense of "open space in a built-up place" is Amer.Eng. 1862. courant "newspaper" (now only in names of newspapers), from Fr. courant, lit. "running," prp. of courir "to run." curriculum (n.) 1824, from Modern Latin transferred use of classical L. curriculum "a running, course, career" (also "a fast chariot, racing car"), from currere (see current (adj.)). Used in English as a Latin word since 1630s at Scottish universities. cursor computer sense is 1967 extension of name for the sliding part of a slide rule or other instrument (1590s), earlier "a running messenger" (c.1300), from L. cursor "runner," also "errand-boy," from curs-, pp. stem of currere "to run" (see current). outrun (v.) mid-14c., "to run out," from out (adv.) + run (v.). Sense of "to outstrip in running" is from 1520s; figurative use from 1650s. Related: Outran; outrunning. idle (v.) late 15c., "make vain or worthless," from idle (adj.). Meaning "spend or waste (time)" is from 1650s. Meaning "cause to be idle" is from 1789. Sense of "running slowly and steadily without transmitting power" (as a motor) first recorded 1916. Related: Idled; idling. gully (n.) "channel made by running water," 1650s, possibly a variant of M.E. golet "water channel" (see gullet). Gully-washer, American English colloquial for "heavy rainstorm," attested by 1887. cursory c.1600, from M.Fr. cursoire "rapid," from L.L. cursorius "hasty, of a race or running," from L. curs-, pp. stem of currere "to run" (see current). belay (v.) from O.E. bilecgan, which, among other senses, meant "to lay a thing about" (with other objects), from be- + lecgan "to lay" (see lay). The only surviving sense is the nautical one of "coil a running rope round a cleat or pin to secure it" (also transferred to mountain-climbing), first attested 1540s; but this is possibly a cognate word, from Du. beleggen. anadromous (adj.) of fish, "ascending a river to spawn" (as salmon do), 1753, from Gk. anadromos "running upward," from ana "up, back" (see ana-) + dramein "to run" (see dromedary). overtake (v.) "to come up to, to catch in pursuit," early 13c., from over- + take (v.). According to OED, originally "the running down and catching of a fugitive or beast of chase"; it finds the sense of over- in this word "not so clear." Related: Overtaken; overtaking. Old English had oferniman "to take away, carry off, seize, ravish." incursion (n.) "hostile attack," early 15c., from M.Fr. incursion (14c.) or directly from L. incursionem (nom. incursio) "a running against," noun of action from pp. stem of incurrere (see incur). discursive 1590s, from M.Fr. discursif, from M.L. discursivus, from L. discursus "a running about" (see discourse). Related: Discursively. trochee 1580s, from Fr. trochée, from L. trochaeus "a trochee," from Gk. trokhaios (pous), lit. "a running, spinning (foot)," from trekhein "to run" (see truckle (n.)). As a metrical foot, a long followed by a short syllable, or an accented followed by an unaccented one. recourse (n.) late 14c., from O.Fr. recours (13c.), from L. recursus "return, retreat," lit. "a running back," from stem of pp. of recurrere "run back, return" (see recur). courser large, powerful horse," c.1300, from O.Fr. corsier "fast horse, charger," lit. "fast-running," from V.L. *cursarius, from L. cursus (see course). discourse (n.) late 14c., "process of understanding, reasoning, thought," from Fr. discours, from L. discursus "a running about," in L.L. "conversation," from pp. stem of discurrere "run about," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + currere "to run" (see current). Sense of "formal speech or writing" is first recorded 1580s. streak (v.) 1768, "to go quickly, to rush, run at full speed," respelling (by association with streak (n.)) of streek "to go quickly" (late 14c.), originally "to stretch oneself" (mid-13c.), a northern M.E. variant of stretch (v.). Streaking "running naked in public" first recorded 1973. rampant (adj.) late 14c., "standing on the hind legs" (as a heraldic lion often does), thus, also, "fierce, ravenous" (late 14c.), from O.Fr. rampant, prp. of ramper "to creep, climb" (see rampage (v.)). Sense of "growing without check" (in running rampant), first recorded 1610s, preserves the Old French sense. corsair (n.) 1540s, from M.Fr. corsaire (15c.), from Prov. cursar, It. corsaro, from M.L. cursarius "pirate," from L. cursus "course, a running," from currere "to run" (see current). Meaning of the Medieval Latin verb evolved from "course" to "journey" to "expedition" to an expedition specifically for plunder.
