run-through

The compound noun 'run-through' is a modern formation from the phrasal verb 'to run through', meaning to rehearse, review, or traverse quickly. The constituent morphemes are both of Germanic origin, with 'run' evolving from Old English verbs denoting rapid movement or flow, and 'through' from an Old English word for passage from beginning to end. The logic of the compound is transparent: to perform an activity from start to finish in a swift, continuous manner, as if running a course. This literal sense of a quick traversal evolved metaphorically into the modern meanings of a rehearsal or a concise summary, capturing the idea of covering all key points without lingering on details.

Structure: run (to move quickly) + through (from one side to the other) - run: From Old English rinnan, iernan (to flow, to run). Its functional role is the core verb, providing the sense of continuous, quick motion or execution. - through: From Old English þurh (from one side to the other, by means of). Its functional role is a prepositional particle, indicating completion or a comprehensive span.