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Eloped vs Runaway - What's the difference?

eloped | runaway |

As a verb eloped

is (elope).

As a noun runaway is

a person or animal that runs away or has run away; a person, animal, or organization that escapes limitations.

eloped

English

Verb

(head)
  • (elope)

    • Anagrams

    *

    elope

    English

    (Elopement)

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete)

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • (of a married person) To run away from home with a paramour.
  • (of an unmarried person) To run away secretly for the purpose of getting married with one's intended spouse; to marry in a quick or private fashion, especially without a public period of engagement.
  • * 1813 , Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
    • My younger sister has left all her friends-- has eloped ; has thrown herself into the power of-- of Mr. Wickham.
  • * 1996 , "Introduction", in The Piozzi Letters: Correspondence of Hester Lynch Piozzi, 1784-1821 (formerly Mrs. Thrale), Volume 4, 1805-1810 (eds. Edward A. Bloom & Lillian D. Bloom), Associated University Presses (1996), ISBN 0874133939, page 30:
    • Although Cecilia was the youngest of the surviving Thrale daughters, she had been the first to marry, eloping to Gretna Green in 1795 with John Meredith Mostyn of neighboring Llewesog Lodge. Both were underage.
  • * 2009 , Jan Springer, Intimate Stranger , Ellora's Cave (2009), ISBN 9781419921735, page 132:
    • Although they had eloped in Vegas, she'd insisted he wear a tuxedo and she buy a wedding dress at one of the local stores.
  • * 2012 , Shirley Jump, One Day to Find a Husband , Harlequin (2012), ISBN 9780373178216, page 136:
    • They knew each other for maybe a month before they eloped in Vegas.
  • (dated) To run away from home (for any reason).
  • * 1782 , Frances Burney, Cecilia
    • He had been intended by his father for trade, but his spirit, soaring above the occupation for which he was designed, from repining led him to resist, and from resisting, to rebel. He eloped from his friends, and contrived to enter the army.
  • * c. 1794 , Jane Austen, Lady Susan
    • That horrid girl of mine has been trying to run away. I had not a notion of her being such a little devil before, she seemed to have all the Vernon milkiness; but on receiving the letter in which I declared my intention about Sir James, she actually attempted to elope ; at least, I cannot otherwise account for her doing it. She meant, I suppose, to go to the Clarkes in Staffordshire, for she has no other acquaintances.

    Derived terms

    * elopement

    runaway

    English

    Alternative forms

    * run-away

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person or animal that runs away or has run away; a person, animal, or organization that escapes limitations.
    • Runaway children are vulnerable to criminal exploitation.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Thou runaway , thou coward, art thou fled?
  • *
  • A train that is out of control.
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  • (usually attributive) An object or process that is out of control or out of equilibrium.
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  • The act of running away, especially of a horse or teams.
    • There was a runaway yesterday.
  • An overwhelming victory.
    • The home side won in a runaway .

    Usage notes

    This word is frequently used attributively, as in "runaway X" to mean "an X which has run away" or "an X which is out of control".

    Related terms

    * run away