run-on
UK[ˈrʌn ɒn]US[ˈrʌn ɑːn]
adj
Continuing without a pause or break, especially in speech or writing.
n
A line of verse in which a sentence or clause continues without a pause beyond the end of the line.
n
A word or phrase added to a sentence in a way that creates a grammatical error, especially a comma splice or fused sentence.
Morpheme Breakdown
run
on
run
on
Etymology
The compound adjective and noun 'run-on' is a transparent formation from the phrasal verb 'to run on', meaning to continue speaking or proceeding without stopping. The constituent parts, 'run' and 'on', are both native English words with Germanic origins, tracing back to Proto-Germanic rinnaną and ana, respectively. The literal sense of a moving entity continuing its motion ('running on') was metaphorically extended by the 17th century to describe speech or writing that flows without appropriate pauses. In specialized literary and grammatical contexts, this core concept of uninterrupted continuation gave rise to the specific modern meanings concerning poetic enjambment and syntactic errors.
Analysis
Structure: run + on
- run: From Old English 'rinnan, irnan' (to flow, to run). In this compound, it carries the sense of continuing movement or progression.
- on: From Old English 'on, an' (in, into, toward, on). In this compound, it functions as an adverbial particle indicating continuation or progression.
Examples
She delivered a long, run-on sentence that left everyone breathless.
The poet's use of the run-on created a sense of urgency and relentless momentum.
Be careful to avoid run-ons by using proper punctuation between independent clauses.