Showing posts with label runaway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label runaway. Show all posts

Monday, July 1, 2013

runway, runaway, run away

Runway or runway means the paved strip that an airplane uses to land or take off--
They were still waving good-bye as the plane taxied down the runway.
Runway may also mean a narrow platform, ramp, or paved strip--
The photographers crowded around the runway to get a better view of the fashion models.

Runaway or runaway ( one word ) means someone who has left home or fled from parents or  home--
The parents of a runaway have put up notices with his picture on them.
The runaway was found and is now in foster care.

Runaway, historically, might have described a slave, indentured servant, or apprentice--
Here's an 18th century advertisement, placed by someone searching for a runaway apprentice.
In the 1860's, legal authorities in the northern states refused to punish people who helped a runaway slave.

Runaway may describe something that has escaped limits or control--
There's no driver! It's a runaway train!
The children all liked the story about the runaway soup.

Run away or run away ( two words ) means to leave home without permission, as a teenager--
The teenager threatened to run away whenever he became angry.
Run away also means to flee from danger or a problem, literally or figuratively--
He watched them run away after they heard the noise.
His father taught him that it was smarter to run away than to get into a fight.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They sped down the runway in an attempt to run away from the runaway baggage cart."

Note--"run a way" ( three words) might fit into a sensible sentence, but I can't think of one.