RAN ACROSS Meaning and
Definition
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The phrase "ran across" is an idiomatic expression often used in informal conversation to mean "to encounter or come across something or someone unexpectedly." It is typically employed when referring to stumbling upon information, objects, or individuals by chance, without deliberately seeking them out.
In a literal sense, "ran across" implies crossing paths with an unknown item or person while in motion. For instance, one might say, "I ran across an old friend at the grocery store yesterday." This suggests the spontaneous encounter of unexpectedly meeting a friend while shopping.
Figuratively, "ran across" portrays the unexpected discovery or encounter of something not previously known or expected. For example, someone might say, "I ran across an interesting article online while researching for my paper." In this context, "ran across" emphasizes the accidental discovery of an article while conducting unrelated research.
The phrase conveys a sense of surprise or serendipity, indicating that the subject did not actively seek or plan the encounter. It highlights the unintentional nature of the situation and underscores the element of happenstance, as if the subject stumbled upon or chanced upon the object or person while in motion.
Common Misspellings for RAN ACROSS
- ean across
- dan across
- fan across
- tan across
- 5an across
- 4an across
- rzn across
- rsn across
- rab across
- ram across
- raj across
- rah across
- ran zcross
- ran scross
- ran wcross
- ran qcross
- ran axross
- ran avross
- ran afross
Etymology of RAN ACROSS
The etymology of the phrase "ran across" can be understood by breaking it down into its individual components.
Firstly, the word "ran" is the past tense of the verb "run", which comes from the Old English word "rinnan". It has Germanic origins, specifically from the Proto-Germanic word "rinnaną".
Secondly, the word "across" is a preposition that means from one side to the other or in a crosswise direction. It comes from Middle English "acros", which was formed by combining the prefix "a-" (meaning on) and the word "cross" (from Old Norse "kross").
Combing these two components, "ran across" indicates the act of running from one side to the other or in a crosswise direction.
Similar spelling words for RAN ACROSS
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