To conduct, to manage; to put forward and support a candidate or a “ticket.”
1789. It was agreed to run the following ticket in their respective Districts.—Maryland Journal, Jan. 2.
1800. With regard to the person to be run [with Mr. Jefferson] as Vice President, there appears some difference of opinion.—The Aurora, Phila., Dec. 5.
1800. General Pinckney is no longer run as Vice-President; it is the avowed object of the federal party to make him President.—Id., Dec. 5.
1806. I can give you no certain information as to the person whom the Cheethamites will run for next governor.—The Balance, April 29, p. 131/2.
1816. A numerous meeting of Germans agreed to run Col. Isaac Wagle, a German and a true republican, [as their candidate for the commissionership].—Farmers’ Register, Greensburg, Pa., Oct. 10.
1825. The beggars who all vote like the pigs, talk of running him for the next governor.—J. K. Paulding, ‘John Bull in America,’ p. 58 (N.Y.).
1827. “Running a Bank.”—Heading in the Providence American: Mass. Spy, Oct. 3.
1828. What are we to think of the proposition by the Adams Convention at Harrisburg to run [J. A. S.] as V. President of the U.S.?—Richmond Enquirer, Jan. 12, p. 3/5.
1859. We have never had the misfortune to run (or ‘be run,’ as the phrase is) for Congress.—Knick. Mag., liv. 371–2 (Oct.).
1861. From a man [Mr. Lincoln] who is taken up because he is an ex-rail splitter, an ex-grocery keeper, an ex-flatboat captain, and an ex-Abolition lecturer, and is run upon that question, I would not expect any great information as to the Government which he was to administer.—Mr. Louis T. Wigfall of Texas, U.S. Senate, March 2: Cong. Globe, p. 1400/1.
1861. [On being asked whether he would urge the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, Mr. Lincoln] replied with a smile: ‘Well, I suppose I will have to run the machine as I find it.’—O. J. Victor, ‘The History … of the Southern Rebellion,’ i. 252.
1874. There are several generations of them here at present, all keeping beach hotels on a larger or smaller scale, with the collateral occupation of “running a chowder mill,” as the phrase goes here.—C. D. Shanley, ‘Coney Island,’ Atlantic Monthly, xxxiv. 309/2 (Sept.).
1888. The young Emperor of Germany is inflated with the idea that he was born to run the universe.—Texas Siftings, Sept. 22 (Farmer).
1890. I would be too smart to run another ranche in this country. I would unload it on some tender-foot.—Van Dyke, ‘Millionaires of a Day,’ p. 19.
