run-offn.
/ˈrʌnɒf/, U.S. /ˈrənˌɔf/, /ˈrənˌɑf/ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > poker > [noun] > actions or tactics
run-off1843
bluff1846
fill1866
call1968
slow-playing1979
slow roll1982
slow-rolling1982
1843 J. H. Greene Expos. Gambling 96 The adversary..will, in preference to risking more, throw up his own hand, and forfeit what has already been bet. This is a run-off, as well as in cases where he has not money enough to meet the proposed bet.
2. Originally U.S. An instance of a railway carriage, motor car, etc., running off a railway or road.
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society > travel > rail travel > [noun] > accident on railway
run-off1847
runaway train1848
derailment1850
train wreck1876
derailing1884
runaway1886
train crash1904
1847 Marshall (Mich.) Statesman 16 Nov. 2/4 Every run-off is attended with great expense to the Company, as well as danger to the Engineer.
1855 Chicago Western Times 9 Aug. 1/8 The frequency of these run-offs demands the special attention of all railroad directors.
1872 W. S. Huntington Road-master's Assistant 87 It is best always to keep spare [switch] rods on hand, to be used in case of a run-off.
1970 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 19 Mar. 6/2 An invitation..to the Transport Minister..to discuss whether runoff roads could be a means of preventing semi-trailer accidents in the Adelaide hills.
2007 R. Fuller in P. C. Cacciabue Modelling Driver Behaviour in Automotive Environments iv. x. 165 It is choice of an inappropriate speed which contributes significantly to a very large proportion of collisions and road run-offs.
3.
a. The water (or a substance carried in it) that runs off or (occasionally) out of an area, object, building, etc.; spec. rainfall and melted snow that is carried away from an area by streams and rivers; (also) the amount of this.
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the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > system > [noun] > run-off
run-off1867
1867 Professional Papers Indian Engin. IV. cxlv. 188 The level of the water in this tank is noted as..about the mean level, and it is desirable that this should be the ordinary level of the run off from a valve in practice.
1892–3 14th Rep. U.S. Geol. Surv. 149 The run-off, that is, the quantity of water flowing from the land.
1910 Westm. Gaz. 19 Feb. 2/2 Iron ore, which stains all the other streams..and the run-off of the night's rain to the colour of tanyard.
1929 J. E. Weaver & F. E. Clements Plant Ecol. ix. 190 It [sc. rainfall] may be of such a torrential nature that only part of it can be absorbed and the rest is lost as run-off.
1969 Physics Bull. Oct. 410/1 Calculated by subtracting runoff from rainfall, annual evaporation ranges from about 16 in per year in the north of England to 19 in per year in the Thames valley.
1978 J. Irving World according to Garp iv. 81 The runoff from the rain—washing over the Steering School, rinsing everything clean.
2004 N.Y. Times 21 May d1/1 Steep slot canyons..a yard wide and several hundred feet deep and often filled with frigid runoff.
b. The action or process of water (or a substance carried in it) running off an area, surface, object, building, etc.; an instance of this; (North American) a period when water runs off an area, esp. the spring thaw.
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the world > the earth > water > body of water > moving water > [noun]
quicka1300
backwatera1387
main flood?1556
main tide1605
confluence1615
swash1671
flow1802
sweep1816
water slide1824
slide1869
run-off1915
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > [noun] > run off
waterfall1428
run-off1915
1915 Climatol. Data: Calif. Section (U.S. Dept. Agric. Weather Bureau) XIX. 17/2 The ground is saturated and light rains produce heavy runoffs.
1919 R. H. van Zaluwenburg & R. Vidal Rearing Queen Bees in Porto Rico 30 Soil erosion and fertilizer runoff are reduced to a minimum.
1935 Discovery Aug. 219/2 The rapid run-off causes disastrous floods at lower levels.
1949 W. Vogt Road to Survival v. 104 The rate of runoff can be reduced on even the steepest land.
1962 W. O. Mitchell Kite iii. 25 As soon as the sky is blue and the run-off starts—down town every Saturday morning.
1972 Times 26 June 12/2 Sewage and run-off of fertilizer from agricultural land is eliminating desirable fish.
1980 Beautiful Brit. Columbia Summer 4 This bucolic alternative becomes impossible when the snow flies and during spring runoff, as Duffey Lake Road then becomes impassable.
2005 J. Diamond Collapse (2006) xiii. 399 The resulting damage to Australia includes..impairment of water quality by runoff of salt and sediment.
4.
a. A final deciding race or other contest, held after a tie or inconclusive result.
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society > leisure > sport > match or competition > [noun] > types of
all comersc1450
after-gamea1500
fore-game1594
revenge1616
plate1639
set-to1743
return match1753
bye1754
scrub-race1791
anybody's game (also race, match)1826
return1834
barney1843
bonspiel1858
handicap1861
pennant1865
home-and-home1868
benefit match1871
run-off1873
international1877
American tournament1878
Grand Prix1879
single1884
friendly1885
all-comers1889
pair1890
championship1893
round robin1894
replay1895
Olympiad1896
junior varsity1902
lightning tournament1903
rematch1903
road trip1903
pickup1905
freestyle1906
marathon1908
test1908
Derby1909
scrimmage1910
eliminator1911
twosome1911
triala1914
quadrangular1916
slug-fest1916
varsity match1921
needle contest1922
curtain jerker1923
needle match1923
open1926
needle fight1927
knock-out1928
shirt1930
masters1933
pro-amateur1934
tune-up1934
World Cup1934
pro-am1937
state1941
sizzler1942
runathon1943
mismatch1954
run-out1955
match-up1959
squeaker1961
triple-header1961
Super Bowl1967
invitational1968
needle game1970
major1976
slobberknocker1986
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > [noun] > types of race
quarter-mile1611
dead1635
diaulos1706
quarter1779
dead heat1796
match race1804
dash1836
sprint race1836
mile1851
road race1852
time trial1857
decider1858
all-ages1864
rough-up1864
hippodrome1867
distance running1868
team race1869
run-off1873
relay race1878
walk-away1879
title race1905
tortoise race1913
procession1937
stage1943
pace1968
prologue1973
1873 Carthusian June 56 Hanson and Jeaffreson ran a dead heat for second place... The run-off for the second prize was won by Hanson.
1893 Outing 22 155/1 In the run-off Harding had the best of the start.
1894 Daily News 13 Sept. 3/2 The former easily defeated his opponent in the run-off.
1906 Weimar (Texas) Mercury 5 May 1/4 In the run-off between the two home teams, No. 1 made it in 18 seconds.
1973 Shooting Times & Country Mag. 7 July 19/3 If the judges have difficulty in arriving at a result, they can arrange a more difficult ‘run-off’ for the top dogs.
2000 Brit. Waterskier Sept. 34/2 As this was for the National Title there had to be a run-off with each skier receiving a further two jumps.
b. spec. (chiefly U.S.) an election held to decide the issue between the candidates (usually two) who gained the largest number of votes in a previous election the result of which was not decisive. Frequently attributive (see Compounds 2).
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society > authority > office > appointment to office > choosing or fact of being chosen for office > election of representative body by vote > [noun] > second ballot
ballotage1869
run-off1902
second ballot1910
1902 Atlanta Constit. 3 Sept. 5/5 The only interest left is in the ‘run offs’ for attorney general and superintendent of education.
1944 Sun (Baltimore) 31 May 7/1 (heading) Alabama run-offs watched for clue to group's strength.
1966 Mrs. L. B. Johnson White House Diary 4 June (1970) 386 Today is the Democratic primary runoff and we had come home to vote.
1970 Los Angeles Times 28 June 18/6 Judge Aisenson..declared he planned to invalidate the results of the election or demand a three-way runoff.
1973 Times 31 Mar. 5/4 His nearest rival, Señor Ricardo Balbin, announced he would not contest a runoff.
2005 N.Y. Times 19 June 8/4 Declaring himself a candidate for the runoff, Mr. Ahmadinejad dismissed Mr. Karroubi's charges as words from a sore loser.
5. Horticulture. The dropping of fruit from a tree before it is ripe. Cf. running off n. (b) at running n. Compounds 1a(b).
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the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > cultivation of fruit > [noun] > dropping of fruit before ripe
running off1679
run-off1921
1921 Jrnl. Pomol. 2 170 If frost caused the ‘Run off’ on half the bush, why did it not do so on the other?
1974 Daily Tel. 6 June 6/4 A grower at Cropthorne, Worcestershire, said the level of fruit ‘run-off’—unformed fruit shrivelling and falling from trees—was much higher than usual through lack of moisture.
2005 D. L. Barney & K. E. Hummer Currants, Gooseberries, & Jostaberries vii. 111 Berries..are resistant to runoff or premature abscission.
6. New Zealand. Agriculture. A number of sheep taken from a group before the group is drafted. rare.
ΚΠ
1933 Press (Christchurch) Acland Gloss. 25 Nov. 15 Run off,..Sheep counted out from a mob without being drafted: e.g., ‘I cannot buy the whole line. I will take a r[un]-o[ff] of 300.’ Usually fair r.o.
7. New Zealand. Agriculture. An outlying area of land used for feeding and grazing of stock.
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the world > food and drink > farming > farm > farmland > grassland > [noun] > pasture > enclosed pasture
ham901
green yard1418
pasture field1464
ward1473
butt1542
paddock1547
septuma1552
staff1786
camp1877
night paddock1922
run-off1933
1933 Press (Christchurch, N.Z.) 25 Nov. 15/7 Run off,..(2) Paddock used with turnips or green feed on which the sheep may camp and get what extra feed they can.
1950 N.Z. Jrnl. Agric. Apr. 366/3 Utilisation of the heavier pockets [of coastal land] and sand dunes is complementary, the latter being used mainly as a winter run-off.
1950 N.Z. Jrnl. Agric. Apr. 389/1 During early winter they [sc. ewes] are rationed turnips, fed good hay, and driven off their turnip break on to a large run-off paddock daily.
1973 D. Wallace Generation Gap 254 We could make do with the netting we used for a run-off on the turnips.
1994 Dominion (Wellington) 20 May 12 The five properties sold at auction were bought as runoff blocks for dairy or beef.
8. British slang. An act of urinating.
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the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > defecation or urination > urinary system > [noun] > urination
pissinga1398
urine1561
urination1599
staling1601
miction1663
urining1668
piss?1837
piddle1870
micturating1879
pee1880
pee-wee1909
wet1925
peeing1929
leak1934
Jimmy Riddle1937
wee-wee1937
tinkle1939
run-off1944
slash1950
No. 11965
wee1968
widdle1969
gypsy's kiss1971
Jimmy1971
whizz1971
gypsy's1972
void1980
wazz1994
1944 Syllabus of Lect. (Special Operations Executive) in How to be Spy (2004) 261 The sentry may lean his rifle against something to rub his hands or to have a run off.
1967 H. W. Sutherland Magnie ix. 117 What with the cold and the beer she was bursting for a run off again... The nearest ladies she knew was at Pier Head.
1998 K. Jessop Goldfinder ii. 51 There was..another highly useful valve, enabling the wearer to have a run-off (pee) without getting out of the suit.
9. An act of turning out or producing a product; a quantity or amount run off; spec. the material run off or produced by a mechanical process; a print run.
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society > occupation and work > industry > manufacture or production > [noun] > manufactured article or product
workOE
making1340
manufacture1587
preparation1590
manufactory1653
manufact1664
manufacturage1665
fabric1753
end-product1939
run-off1952
the world > relative properties > quantity > [noun] > a definite or specified quantity or amount > specific quantities or amounts > quantity run off or removed
run-off1952
society > communication > printing > printed matter > [noun] > amount printed > amount printed at one time
edition?a1475
impression1570
run1878
printing1902
press run1907
print run1931
run-off1952
split run1961
1952 Bull. Poetry Soc. Amer. Oct. 4 An impromptu and rather novel program was offered: a run-off of a phonograph recording of a broadcast made in 1948 of poems from the PSA Anthology.
1967 A. L. Lloyd Folk Song in Eng. i. 27 Several of these [broadsides] were produced in massive run-offs.
1979 Church Times 26 Oct. 7/3 The low price for such a well-produced volume must indicate a large run-off.
2007 S. S. Farr My Appalachia xiv. 115 The first runoff was weak and impure and had to be redistilled to rid it of water and oils.
Compounds
C1. General attributive (in sense 3), as run-off map, run-off rate, run-off water, etc.
ΚΠ
1867 W. T. Sugg Banister's Gas Manipulation (new ed.) 57 If a run-off plug only is used, it becomes necessary to know exactly how long the plug is to be left open.
1892–3 14th Rep. U.S. Geol. Surv. 150 For comparison with this run-off map a similar map showing the mean annual precipitation is introduced.
1919 A. Henry Forests, Woods & Trees i. 7 On slopes the run-off water, that is nil or negligible in the plain, becomes large in quantity.
1937 Sun (Baltimore) 1 July 24/3 Slowing up the run-off rate of heavy rainfall.
1979 A. Hailey Overload (new ed.) iii. viii. 229 Hydroelectric power next year might be reduced by twenty-five percent because of the lack of runoff water.
1990 Jrnl. Plankton Res. 12 1263 Hydro-electric power production alters freshwater runoff patterns.
2006 B. Morsli et al. in E. J. Roose et al. Soil Erosion & Carbon Dynamics ii. viii. 108 For a given location and soil type, maximum runoff rate was always higher on bare than on cropped soils.
C2. Chiefly U.S. General attributive (in sense 4b), esp. in run-off primary (see primary n. 7).
ΚΠ
1907 Lima (Ohio) Daily News 2 Aug. 1/5 There will be a run-off primary for the gubernatorial nomination.
1933 Sun (Baltimore) 15 Sept. 3/4 A. H. Carmichael, of Tuscumbia, and B. L. Malone, of Decatur, will face each other in a run-off primary October 3 for the Democratic nomination to Congress from the Eighth Alabama district.
1954 Economist 31 July 365/2 In Oklahoma Senator Kerr..was threatened with having to fight a ‘run-off’ election against a rival millionaire, Mr Roy Turner.
1959 B. North & R. North tr. M. Duverger Polit. Parties (ed. 2) ii. i. 220 The second or run-off primary operating in the event of no candidate securing an absolute majority at the first primary.
1968 Listener 27 June 826/1 If General de Gaulle's victory at the polls is confirmed by the run-off vote next Sunday, he may well see this as a mandate for his projected social reforms.
2006 S. P. Ramet Three Yugoslavias xvii. 521 The Federal Election Commission now set the run-off elections for 8 October.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† run-offadj.
Obsolete. rare.
Of a flower: = run adj. 5.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > reproductive part(s) > flower or part containing reproductive organs > flower or flowering plant > [adjective] > having flowers or blossom > with specific colouring or marking
blue-flowered1597
red-flowered1629
blue-mantleda1650
rectified1665
well-broke1687
guarded1688
run1725
broken1731
pheasant-eyed1731
red-flowering1731
bizarre1753
run-off1810
unveined1826
self1833
limbate1866
chloranthous1871
albiflorous1879
laced1882
1810 G. Crabbe Borough viii. 111 This is no shaded, run-off, pin-ey'd thing, A King of Flowers.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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n.1843
adj.1810