on the run

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Prepositional phrase

on the run

1. (idiomatic) Fleeing.

   The suspect in the robbery is still on the run.

   • 2013 June 29, “Travels and travails”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 55:

     Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.

2. (idiomatic) At a disadvantage; forced to abandon a position.

   The corruption charges against her aides have her on the run.

3. (idiomatic) Constantly traveling or moving from place to place.

   She's a busy executive and always on the run.

   He had to eat on the run.

4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see on,‎ run.

   The skier's wife had the baby while he was still on the run.

Synonyms

• (fleeing): on the lam
• (at a disadvantage): in retreat
• (constantly moving): on the go, on the move

Translations

fleeing

• Dutch: voortvluchtig (nl)
• Finnish: vapaalla jalalla (fi), karkuteillä (fi)
• French: en cavale
• Galician: a fume de carozo (gl), á fuga
• German: auf der Flucht
• Hungarian: szökésben (van)
• Italian: in fuga, latitante (it), uccel di bosco
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: på rømmen

  Nynorsk: på rømmen

• Old English: on flēame
• Polish: wiejący
• Spanish: estar prófugo(a), a la fuga
• Swedish: på fri fot (sv)

constantly traveling

• French: en vadrouille (fr) f
• Galician: en movemento

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