run an errand
to make a short trip to perform a task
TRANSLATION
run an errand = eine Besorgung machen (woerterbuch.info) --- GOOGLE INDEX run an errand: approximately 100,000 hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
A nine-year-old boy who went missing for two days in Sheffield while RUNNING AN ERRAND is found safe and well.
(BBC News)
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Winchester City Council wants to make the first half-hour of street parking free for motorists. The council hopes the move will allow shoppers to RUN ERRANDS without having to pay for parking and boost the local economy.
(BBC News)
(BBC News)
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Winchester City Council wants to make the first half-hour of street parking free for motorists. The council hopes the move will allow shoppers to RUN ERRANDS without having to pay for parking and boost the local economy.
(BBC News)
Did you
know?
run an errand
verb phrase
- to make a short trip for a particular purpose
(Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms)
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WORD ORIGIN
Errand developed from the Old English aerende, meaning message or mission. The original sense of a mission was and still is used occasionally in the phrases "an errand of mercy" and "a secret errand." Errand is also found in the expression "a fool's errand." This is an attempt to do something that has no chance of success (Trying to guess how Wall Street will react to the latest news is somewhat of a fool's errand.)
Errand should not be confused with "errant", which is an adjective that means roving around in search of adventure or straying from the proper course or standards. Of course, while running an errand, one can also become errant. The well-known American Baptist preacher Billy Graham once found this out the hard way.
As the story goes, early in his career Graham arrived in a small town to preach a sermon. Hoping to run some errands first, he approached a young boy on the street and asked him where he might mail a letter. After the boy had directed him to the local post office, Graham thanked him and invited him to attend the sermon.
"If you come to the Baptist church this evening," he said, "you can hear me telling everyone how to get to heaven."
"I don't think I'll be there," the youngster replied. "You don't even know your way to the post office!"
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SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
"If anyone calls, tell them I'll be back in about an hour. I have to run an errand."
verb phrase
- to make a short trip for a particular purpose
(Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms)
---
WORD ORIGIN
Errand developed from the Old English aerende, meaning message or mission. The original sense of a mission was and still is used occasionally in the phrases "an errand of mercy" and "a secret errand." Errand is also found in the expression "a fool's errand." This is an attempt to do something that has no chance of success (Trying to guess how Wall Street will react to the latest news is somewhat of a fool's errand.)
Errand should not be confused with "errant", which is an adjective that means roving around in search of adventure or straying from the proper course or standards. Of course, while running an errand, one can also become errant. The well-known American Baptist preacher Billy Graham once found this out the hard way.
As the story goes, early in his career Graham arrived in a small town to preach a sermon. Hoping to run some errands first, he approached a young boy on the street and asked him where he might mail a letter. After the boy had directed him to the local post office, Graham thanked him and invited him to attend the sermon.
"If you come to the Baptist church this evening," he said, "you can hear me telling everyone how to get to heaven."
"I don't think I'll be there," the youngster replied. "You don't even know your way to the post office!"
---
SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
"If anyone calls, tell them I'll be back in about an hour. I have to run an errand."
