What are we running away from?

My first article on running was put together as a result of a jestful banter with a friend and I now have this irresistible urge to write more on runs.

Come to think of it, the word ‘run’ can be used in miscellaneous and diverse contexts and hence I can indeed ‘run’ an article on the different usages of the word.

Apparently, it’s not only our legs which have the ability to run, our noses may run, tears can run down our face, sweat can run down our back, fingers can run through the hair and in case we have the runs, then it’ll be a totally different run to a place of convenience! To compound all these, we can run a fever too and when our imagination runs it always runs wild.

Almost anything can run out of anything too …. devices can run out of charge or space, vehicles run out of fuel, kitchens run out of stuff, people run out of ideas …. you name it and it can be run out of!

It’s amusing that many things which are stationary can run as well. Still waters are said to run deep, lines are described as running criss-cross or from end to end on sketches, designs, walls etc, all the time. Wells and ponds run dry in summer, table runners stay in one place but come under the category of runners and so do stolons. Swift movement doesn’t seem to be a prerequisite for running!

Runs also refer to the mundane and routines that we fall into, mornings are usually occupied by school runs for many parents followed by literally running to work and probably the grocery runs in the evenings. Sadly, running doesn’t help in being on time as you can ‘run late’ too. How often have we lamented ‘I am running late to work!’

Something that’s very ordinary can be described in terms of ‘run’ as in ‘run-of -the -mill’. Seems run-of-the-mill was initially a term used for manufactured goods that had not been checked for quality and soon it started being used in the current sense as common parlance. How new words and terms become part of a language is fascinating indeed.

There are many things that we can run, just by being in control; run a business, run a machine, run organisations, run a programme electronically, run errands but things may get exciting and out of control if we run rampant or run amok!

Running can be a style of functioning too; run a tight ship as in being very strict or run like clockwork as in being efficient but it’s important not to run out of steam and be on last legs.

There are quite a few uplifting connotations associated with ‘run’ as well. To have a good run or hit a home run is to be successful, similarly ’running’ for worthy causes is a noble act but to be on the run could mean to escape from the long arms of the law.

Technically it’s possible to run down a person as in insulting or run over a person with a vehicle but run up refers to the preparation leading up to an event and not boost up someone,

There are shows and movies which not only run in theatres and on various platforms but a few ‘rerun’ too. At the same time there are the unfortunate ones which just couldn’t have a good run as it made the audience run for cover.

It seems that genes are capable of running too but mostly within the family. Like father, like son, apple not falling far from the tree and many such similar happenings are outcomes of the genes running in the family.

When someone is said to be running around in circles he is not definitely on the playground but trying to get some task done without any success.

‘Run the gamut’ is another interesting use of the word run and the phrase means to cover a wide range. I am certain that I will not to be able to run the whole gamut of the usage of the word ‘run’.

It’s amusing how people can run away from abstract things too like run away from responsibilities, problems, memories, chaos and so on.

I must run on as I seem to be running short of time for the various runs I need to make to keep life running smoothly.

I am just so much in love with the vagaries of this beautiful language that I have a good mind to run more articles like this!

I do hope to run into my friend so that I can run this article by him to check if this is what he meant when he ran the idea of writing about ‘runs’ by me.

Annie Mathew is an educator and writer based in Dubai