run-up
UK[ˈrʌn ʌp]US[ˈrʌn ʌp]
n
a period of time leading up to an important event; the preparations during this time.
n
an act of running or moving quickly to gain speed before throwing a ball, jumping, etc.
Morpheme Breakdown
run
up
run
to move quickly
up
to a higher point/state
Etymology
the compound noun 'run-up' is a modern formation derived from the phrasal verb 'to run up', meaning to approach or increase quickly. the literal image is of an athlete running up to a mark to gather momentum for a jump or throw. this concrete sense was logically extended to describe any preparatory period or build-up towards a significant event, metaphorically capturing the idea of gathering speed and intensity before a climax. its usage reflects the english tendency to create vivid, action-based metaphors for abstract temporal concepts.
Analysis
Structure: run (to move quickly) + up (to a higher point/state)
'run' is from old english 'rinnan', 'irnan' (to flow, to run), functioning as the core verb. 'up' is from old english 'up', 'upp' (upward, aloft), functioning as an adverbial particle.
Examples
there was a lot of media speculation in the run-up to the election.
the athlete took a long run-up before launching the javelin.
the company saw a sharp increase in sales during the run-up to the holiday season.