noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   One who does not take part in the physical activity of running.
2. 2
   A racehorse that is withdrawn before the start of a race.

   "There were two non-runners in the three o'clock at Puddletown."

3. 3
   A vehicle that cannot move under its own power, owing to mechanical defect or failure.

   "The Merc on the forecourt is a non-runner."

Example

More examples

"There were two non-runners in the three o'clock at Puddletown."

Etymology

From non- + runner.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.