subs. (printers’).—1. See quot.
1892. C. T. JACOBI, Some Notes on Books and Printing, 47. RUNNERS, s.v. Figures or letters placed down the length of a page to indicate the particular number or position of any given line.
2. (various).—A tout: e.g., (stock exchange) = a broker’s assistant with a private canvassing connection; (racing) = a messenger stationed at a telegraph office to get early information; (old gaming) = see quot. 1731 (BAILEY); (American) = (1) a steamboat and railroad tout: see TICKET-SCALPER; and (2) a commercial traveller.
1731. St. James’s Evening Post [W. C. SYDNEY, England and the English in Eighteenth Century, i. 229]. List of officers attached to the most notorious gaming houses … a RUNNER, who is to get intelligence of the justices’ meetings, and when the constables are out.
1828. G. SMEETON, Doings in London, ‘Humours of the Fleet.’
| Now, mean as once profuse, the stupid sot | |
| Sits by a RUNNER’S side, and damns his lot. |
1869. Fraser’s Magazine, ‘British Merchant Seamen.’ The “touter,” whose business it is to attract the sailor to his master’s lodgings by the judicious loan of money, the offer of grog or soft tack (bread); the RUNNER, who volunteers to carry his box of clothes and bedding free of charge to the same destination.
3. (old).—A police officer: also BOW-STREET RUNNER: in quot. 1383 = a sheriffs officer.
1383. CHAUCER, The Canterbury Tales, ‘Friar’s Tale,’ Prol. 19. A Sompnour is a RENNER up and down.
18[?]. Guy Fawkes. They straightway sent to Bow-street, for the brave old RUNNER, Townsend.
1824. SCOTT, St. Ronan’s Well, iii. Constables, Bow-street RUNNERS, and such like.
1839. DICKENS, Oliver Twist, xxx. ‘It’s the RUNNERS!’ cried Brittles…. ‘The what?’… ‘The Bow street officers, sir.’
4. (common).—A wave: cf. ROLLER.
5. (nautical).—A smuggler. Also a crimp; a single rope rove through a moveable block; and (formerly) a vessel sailing without a convoy in time of war. [CLARK RUSSELL].
c. 1730. R. NORTH, The Lives of the Norths, II. iii. The unfair traders and RUNNERS will undersell us. Ibid., Examen, 490. RUNNERS and trickers … that cover a contraband trade.
