run through

noun, adj, verb — 18 senses

run-through

nounalso spelled run-through

/ˈɹʌnˌθɹuː/

Etymology Deverbal from run through.

1

A rehearsal of a drama, especially an uninterrupted one, but with no makeup or costume.

  • Near-synonym: walkthrough
2

A brief outline of the main points of something; a rundown.

Related terms
passthrough

run-through

adj

Etymology Deverbal from run through.

1

In which trains continue without stopping while going through a station.

Related terms
express, jerkwater town, whistle-stop

run through

verb
15 senses
  1. 1To summarise briefly.
  2. 2To inform or educate someone, typically of a new concept…
  3. 3To repeat something.
  4. 4To use completely, in a short space of time. Usually money.
  5. 5To go through hastily.
  6. 6To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a…
  7. 7To impale a person with a blade, usually a sword.
  8. 8To get something approved quickly.
  9. 9To fuck.
  10. 10To continue past an intersection or a sign that is…
  11. 11Of a waterway, to flow through an area.
  12. 12To have a route that goes through an area; to continue…
  13. 13To continue through territory owned by another company…
  14. 14To be present and intense.
  15. 15Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see run, through.
1

Idiomatic To summarise briefly.

  • Let me run through today's meeting for those who missed it.
  • The following steps run you through a typical scanning operation using a flatbed scanner: ...2003, Joe Kraynak, The complete idiot's guide to computer basics, page 145:
2

Colloquial, Idiomatic To inform or educate someone, typically of a new concept or a concept particular to an organization or industry

  • ... we'll run you through a very quick and abbreviated process from production through bottling.2009, Jorge S. Olson with Carlos Lopez, Build Your Beverage Empire, page 115:
3

Idiomatic To repeat something.

  • We will run through scene 2 until we get it right.
4

Idiomatic To use completely, in a short space of time. Usually money.

  • Near-synonyms: burn through, get through
  • I ran through my wages in two days. Now I've got to live on next to nothing till Friday!
1 more example
  • Tuchel ran through his options in an attempt to crack the Ghana code, with Saka replacing the disappointing Anthony Gordon, and the Arsenal winger almost fashioned the breakthrough when he forced a diving stop from keeper Asare.2026 June 23, Phil McNulty, “England 0-0 Ghana”, in BBC:
5

Idiomatic To go through hastily.

  • to run through a book
6

Idiomatic To pervade, of a quality that is characteristic of a group, organisation, or system.

  • Fear of foreigners runs through that country at all levels of its society.
  • The central concern that runs through The Technology Trap is that, unless we are very careful, our latest technological revolution may well turn out to be a tumultuous rerun of the Industrial Revolution, with dire social and political consequences.2019 July 11, John Thornhill, “Does tech threaten to rerun the worst of the Industrial Revolution?”, in Financial Times:
7

Idiomatic To impale a person with a blade, usually a sword.

  • Make just one move, and I'll run you through, sir, without hesitation.
  • D. Lop." Offer to flinch, and I'll run you through. Offic.: Take their Swords, or knock 'em down.1676, Thomas Shadwell, The libertine: a tragedy : acted by His Royal Highness's servants, page 15:
8

To get something approved quickly.

  • The plans for the new building were rushed through.
9

Idiomatic, Slang To fuck.

  • “There's a white girl, Betty Anderson, down on Cricket Hill Lane parked under them mulberry trees across from the old Carter place getting run through by a colored boy in a bright red Plymouth Fury. You might wanna get out there before Big Jim Anderson find^([sic]) himself with a half-breed grandchild,” […]2021 April 19, Trey R. Barker, Jonathan Brown, S.A. Cosby, John M. Floyd, Debra H. Goldstein, Gar Anthony Haywood, Penny Mickelbury, William Dylan Powell, Kimberly B. Richardson, Stacy Woodson, Jukes & Tonks: Crime Fiction Inspired by Music in the Dark and Suspect Choices, Down & Out Books:
10

Idiomatic To continue past an intersection or a sign that is intended to cause one to stop.

  • You just ran through a stop sign.
11

Idiomatic Of a waterway, to flow through an area.

  • The Seine river runs through Paris.
12

Of a train To have a route that goes through an area; to continue through an area; to complete a route.

  • This train runs through the county.
13

Of a train To continue through territory owned by another company without being exchanged for a different train.

14

Of a flavor or ingredient To be present and intense.

  • The cardamom runs through the cake.
15

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see run, through.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — authors: page histories for run-through and run through.

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