two-run
Meaning
(in baseball) scoring two runs
(in baseball) achieved by a hit that allows the batter to reach base and results in two runs being scored
Structure
Usage
He hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game.
The pitcher was frustrated after giving up a two-run double.
Their lead was built on a first-inning two-run single.
Etymology
The compound adjective 'two-run' is a modern American English formation specific to the sport of baseball. It transparently combines the numeral 'two', with ancient roots in Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁, with the noun 'run', descended from Old English verbs of motion. The term's logic is entirely literal and descriptive within the sporting context: it denotes an action or hit that directly results in two 'runs' (points) being scored. This specialized sporting jargon exemplifies how English readily creates precise, compound modifiers by combining common, ancient words to meet the needs of a specific domain.
Analysis
- two: From Old English twā, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch twee and German zwei, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin duo and Greek duo. Functions as a numeral modifier. - run: From Old English rinnan, irnan (to run), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch rennen and German rennen. In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning 'a point scored in baseball'.