Outrun

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈaʊtɹʌn/

Definitions

1. To move more quickly on foot to get ahead of another person or object ; to avoid capture or danger by running away
2. To surpass another in speed through running ; to flee successfully from pursuit by running
3. To outrun means to be faster than another runner or thing ; it also means to get away safely by using speed

Etymology: "Outrun" is a plain compound built from "out" and "run," and its parts have deep roots. "Out" descends from an ancient root that spread through the Germanic languages, reaching Old English as "ūt," where it meant "outside" or "away from within." "Run" is the older and more familiar partner, carrying the basic sense of moving swiftly on foot. Put together, the verb means exactly what the parts suggest: to go beyond someone else in a race or chase by running faster than they do. The prefix "out" here works the way it does in "outdo" or "outlast," signalling that one thing surpasses another. The construction is straightforward, and the word's meaning has stayed close to its literal parts ever since.

Synonyms: outpace, outstrip

Antonyms: lag, fall behind