run in

Meanings

adjectiverun in (not generally comparable, comparative more run in, superlative most run in)

comparative more run in · superlative most run in

Alternative form of run-in (adjective) (styled open when in predicative position)
1. adjectivenot comparableparticipleusuallycommunications(not comparable) Having been run in before or behind previous text.
  These headings are run in because a free-hanging style would just be a waste of column inches.
  5 more examples
  One of the best headings for saving space is the heading that is run in.
  1956, Daniel Melcher, Nancy Larrick, Printing and Promotion Handbook
  Third subheadings begin paragraphs (are indented and run in).
  1976, American Institute of Physics, Editorial Handbook, page 17
  You can select how far you want subentries indented, how many lines between each entry and alphabetical block, and whether you want the final index indented (each sub- and sub-subheading indented under its parent) or run in (subheadings in paragraph form under the main heading).
  1985 April 16, Charles Anderson, “The Ins and Outs of Indexing”, in PC Mag, volume 4, number 8, page 322
  Heading levels 3 through 7 are run in headings — the text that follows the heading appears on the same line as the heading.
  1987, Rachel Morgan, Henry McGilton, Introducing UNIX System V, page 333
  Secondary headings are flush left, in regular type, and capitalized headline style. Tertiary headings are run in at the beginning of a paragraph, in bold type, capitalized sentence style, and followed by a period.
  2019, Editorial staff, “Guide to Authors”, in Nagoya Journal of Medical Science, archived from the original on 23 Dec 2021
  Antonyms: free-hanging
2. adjectivenot comparableparticipleusuallyengineering(sometimes comparable) Having been run in to seat the parts.
  The engine should be well run in before its heavy working life begins.
  4 more examples
  Behaviour patterns now thoroughly "run in", and financial stringencies, appear to impose sharp limits on the prospects of success here.
  1978, European Conference of Ministers of Transport, International Symposium on Theory and Practice in Transport Economics The Contribution of Economic Research to Transport Policy Decisions, page 64
  In addition to the above, the systems analyst should go on shift with the users for the first few days or longer until the system is thoroughly run in.
  1978, John E. Bingham, Garth W.P. Davies, A Handbook of Systems Analysis, page 35
  Now that the engine is thoroughly run in, our overall fuel economy is creeping toward the high 22-mpg range.
  1993 December, T.S., “Long-Term Test cars”, in Popular Mechanics, volume 170, number 12, page 112
  Under no circumstances run a new motor at high speed until it has covered several hundred miles and is thoroughly “run in.”
  2012, Victor W. Page, Early Motorcycles: Construction, Operation and Repair, page 487
  Synonyms: broken in

nounrun in (plural run ins)

alternativeAlternative spelling of run-in (omitting the hyphens from nouns of this type is nonstandard in formal publications but widely seen in unedited writing)

verbrun in (third-person singular simple present runs in, present participle running in, simple past ran in, past participle run in)

present singular third person runs in · participle present running in · past ran in

informaltransitivechiefly passive voiceTo arrest; (especially) to track down and arrest.
The guys who robbed the bank last week have finally been run in.
UKtransitiveTo use new machinery at less than full speed, preventing damage.
I have to drive slowly for the first 1,000 miles to run the engine in.
1 more example
It was run in by Ranochan of Polmadie on the forenoon slow to Carlisle and the afternoon slow back to the North.
1959 February, A. G. Dunbar, “The "Dunalastair I" 4-4-0s of the Caledonian”, in Trains Illustrated, page 87
Synonyms: break in
figurativelyTo start a new regime slowly.
Synonyms: phase in
ball gamesTo score (a try).
Toeava went over unopposed to stretch his side's lead but Japan got on the scoreboard on 56 minutes, wing Hirotoki Onozawa intercepting an attempted offload from Slade, who had a rather flaky game, and running in from the All Blacks' 10m line.
2011 September 16, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: New Zealand 83-7 Japan”, in BBC Sport
mediaTo insert (a word, etc.) without making a line break or new paragraph (so that it is not free-hanging).
With these subsections, it is better to run their headings in.
mediaTo alter the position of matter to fill vacant space.
participlepastsimple past and past participle of run in