Ever wondered which English word holds the record for the most definitions?
Here’s a clue: it’s a three-letter word, can function as both a noun and a verb, and according to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) via Mental Floss, it has more than 600 different meanings.
For a long time, the word “set” was the champion, boasting over 400 distinct definitions.
However, thanks to the evolution of language—especially with the influence of technology—a new word has taken the top spot: “run.”
The New Champion: “Run”
As a verb alone, “run” claims a staggering 645 definitions, setting a new record. Peter Gilliver, a lexicographer and associate editor at the OED, reportedly spent nine months cataloging all the nuanced meanings of “run.”
But this wasn’t always the case.
When the OED first appeared in 1928, “set” led the pack.
Over time, “put” briefly surpassed it, but eventually “run” raced ahead, largely due to new technological contexts (think: “a train runs on tracks” or “an app runs on your phone”).
Here are some other examples that illustrate its diverse uses:
To move quickly on foot:
She can run a mile in under six minutes.
To manage or operate:
He runs a successful bakery downtown.
To function or operate (machines, devices):
The engine is running smoothly.
To travel a route, often on a schedule:
The bus runs every 20 minutes between the city center and the airport.
To stretch or extend:
The cable runs from the TV to the wall outlet.
A tear in a pair of stockings
The cat’s scratching made a run in my tights
To continue for a period of time:
The exhibition runs from June to September.
To do errands or tasks:
I need to run some errands before dinner.
To leave quickly (informal):
Sorry, I’ve got to run!
To flow (liquids):
Tears ran down her cheeks.
To have a fever:
The child is running a fever.
To be common in a family:
Diabetes runs in the family.
To risk or experience:
You run the risk of getting caught.
As a noun, a quick trip:
I’m making a grocery run—do you need anything?
As a noun, a sequence or series:
He had a run of bad luck last year.
Bonus: The Longest Word
Curious about the longest word in the dictionary? It’s a 45-letter term describing a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine silicate or quartz dust: pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.
