What does ‘to run errand’ mean?

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What does the expression ‘to run an errand’ mean?

An errand is a straightforward task that requires a short trip or travel journey, such as buying stamps in the post office or collecting laundry from the laundrette or delivering a letter to somebody.

 

All of the tasks listed above are relatively easy to do yet they involve some form of travel, it may be by foot or by car but the travel time will always be quite short.

 

To run an errand is a collocation and it means to go out and complete a certain task. Personal assistants are often asked to run errands by their employer, the assistant may be asked to put petrol in the car, go to the bank, pick up lunch, buy groceries and so on.

 

Here are some examples of the collocation being used in a sentence:

  • The stay-at-home mother has to run errands all day today. She has to drop the children to school, pay the bills at the bank, do the grocery shopping, bring the dog to the veterinary and pick up the children from school before 4 pm.
  • Before the fundraiser, the organizers asked the volunteers to run errands to help them prepare for the big event. The volunteers had to deliver the invitations by hand, choose the decorations, collect the cake and meet with different bands and musicians before choosing one of them.
  • The personal assistant’s first job was terrible, he had to run errands at all hours of the day and his employee had no respect for his personal time.
  • Tom had to leave work early on Monday as he had to run an errand before going home. The errand was to pick up his new glasses from the obstetricians. 

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