run-up

• runup, run up

Deverbal from run up.

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run-up (plural run-ups)

1. (cricket) The approach run of a bowler before delivering the ball.
2. The approach run of a high jumper or other athlete in order to gather speed or momentum.
   • 2011 September 29, Tom Rostance, “Stoke 2 - 1 Besiktas”, in BBC Sport‎:

     But he still saw his side produce a rousing display which owed much to their lauded prowess from set-pieces, despite Uefa regulations meaning the pitch had to be widened and, in the process, the run-up area for Delap's long throws reduced.

3. A period of time just before an important event.

   The candidates were very nervous in the run-up to the election.

   • 2022 September 21, Alex Hern, “TikTok tightens policies around political issues in run-up to US midterms”, in The Guardian‎:

     Politicians on TikTok will no longer be able to use the app tipping tools, nor access advertising features on the social network, as the company tightens its policies around political issues in the run-up to the US midterm elections in six weeks’ time.

   • 2023 April 19, “Network News: First tram on Wolverhampton extension”, in RAIL, number 981, page 12, image caption:

     Further trials and commissioning of the newly laid track will take place in the run-up to the launch of passenger services in June.

4. An increase in the value or amount of something.

   Synonym: hike

   Economists expect a run-up of long-term interest rates.

   • 2006 December 22, Andrew E. Kramer, “A Price Run-Up for Run-Down Communes”, in The New York Times‎, →ISSN:

     A Price Run-Up for Run-Down Communes [title]

5. (oceanography) The extent of a wave's reach onto land as the result of a tsunami or storm such as a cyclone.
   • 2019, Daisuke Ishimura, Keitaro Yamada, “Palaeo-tsunami inundation distances deduced from roundness of gravel particles in tsunami deposits”, in Scientific Reports, volume 9, →DOI, page 2:

     Historical records of tsunamis in this region are available for the last 400 years, and the run-up heights of historical tsunamis at Koyadori were estimated and measured"

   I found sand pushed all the way to the edge of my home by the run-up of Wednesday's tsunami.

• lead-up

• nupur, uprun