Why Does Run Errands Mean?

An errand is a short trip to fulfill some small business. When you're running errands, you're making a bunch of these all at once. The noun errand can refer to the mission of the trip itself. If the lines are always long at the bank, then banking may be your least favorite errand.

How do you use the phrase run errands?

Errands sentence example
  1. She had some errands to run. ...
  2. We all needed some clothes and I had a few errands I needed to run. ...
  3. I sold newspapers down at the corner and ran errands for Barney's pool hall. ...
  4. "When I was ten, I met Eden, the woman who often hired my mother for errands ," he started.

Where did the term run errands come from?

errand (n.)

Compare Old English ar "messenger, servant, herald." Originally of important missions; meaning "short, simple journey and task" is attested by 1640s.

Marcus Vance

Marcus Vance

Cybersecurity & Digital Privacy Researcher

Marcus Vance is a cybersecurity auditor and technology writer dedicated to educating the public about online safety, data privacy regulations, enterprise security, and emerging cyber threats.