runoff
|run/off|
🇺🇸
/ˈrʌnˌɔf/
🇬🇧
/ˈrʌnɒf/
flow away
Etymology
'runoff' originates from the combination of 'run' and 'off', where 'run' meant 'to flow' and 'off' indicated 'away'.
'runoff' evolved from the Old English word 'rinnan' meaning 'to flow' and the Middle English 'offen' meaning 'away'.
Initially, it meant 'to flow away', but over time it evolved into its current meanings related to water drainage and election processes.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the draining away of water (or substances carried in it) from the surface of an area of land, a building, or structure.
The heavy rain caused significant runoff from the fields.
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Noun 2
a further competition, election, race, etc., after a tie or inconclusive result.
The election ended in a tie, leading to a runoff.
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Last updated: 2025/02/19 18:19