Outran

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˌaʊtˈɹæn/

Definitions

1. Moved at a speed that exceeded another moving object or person ; successfully avoided capture or pursuit by moving more quickly
2. Traveled faster than a competitor or rival in speed ; managed to get away from someone trying to catch or follow
3. Exceeded the speed of another individual or thing ; got away from a chaser by moving swiftly

Etymology: The verb "outran" is a straightforward past tense and past participle form of the verb "outrun," which means to run faster than someone else or to escape by running. The construction of "outran" follows a common English pattern for strong verbs, where the vowel changes to indicate past tense rather than simply adding "-ed." "Outrun" itself comes from the combination of the prefix "out-" and the verb "run." The prefix "out-" has Old English origins, meaning "beyond" or "more than," and it is used to indicate superiority or excess in some action. "Run" is an old Germanic verb, well attested in Old English as "rinnan" or "rinnan," which means to move swiftly on foot. The past tense form "outran" is formed by altering the vowel sound in "run," shifting from /ʌ/ in "run" to /æ/ in "ran," with "outran" mirroring this pattern. This vowel change is a hallmark of strong verbs in English, especially those inherited from Old English, where the past tense was often indicated by vowel gradation (ablaut) rather than suffixation. First recorded uses of "outrun" and its past forms date back to Middle English, where it was used both literally—to describe physical running faster than another—and figuratively, such as outstripping or surpassing in any endeavor. The usage of "outran" as the past tense thus fits into this long linguistic tradition.

Synonyms: outpaced, outstripped

Antonyms: lagged