What does errand mean?

Definitions for errand
ˈɛr ənder·rand

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word errand.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. errandnoun

    a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission

GCIDE

  1. Errandnoun

    Any specific task, usually of a routine nature, requiring some form of travel, usually locally. An errand is often on behalf of someone else, but sometimes for one's own purposes.

  2. Errandnoun

    A mission.

Wiktionary

  1. errandnoun

    A trip to accomplish a small mission or to do some business (dropping items by, doing paperwork, going to a friend's house, etc.)

    The errands before he could start the project included getting material at the store and getting the tools he had lent his neighbors.

  2. errandnoun

    The purpose of such trip.

    I'm going to town on some errands.

  3. errandnoun

    An oral message trusted to a person for delivery.

  4. errandverb

    To send someone on an errand.

    All the servants were on holiday or erranded out of the house.

  5. errandverb

    To go on an errand.

    She spent an enjoyable afternoon erranding in the city.

  6. Etymology: Old English ǣrende

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Errandnoun

    A message; something to be told or done by a messenger; a mandate; a commission. It is generally used now only in familiar language.

    Etymology: ærenð, Saxon; arend, Danish.

    Servants being commanded to go, shall stand still, ’till they have their errand warranted unto them. Richard Hooker, b. ii. s. 8.

    But hast thou done thy errand to Baptista?
    —— I told him that your father was in Venice. William Shakespeare.

    A quean! have I not forbid her my house? She comes of errands, does she? William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor.

    When he came, behold the captains of the host were sitting, and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. 2 Kings ix. 5.

    From them I go
    This uncouth errand sole. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. ii.

    His eyes,
    That run through all the heav’ns, or down to th’ earth,
    Bear his swift errands, over moist and dry,
    O’er sea and land. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. iii. l. 652.

    Well thou do’st to hide from common sight
    Thy close intrigues, too bad to bear the light;
    Nor doubt I, but the silver-footed dame,
    Tripping from sea, on such an errand came. John Dryden, Homer.

ChatGPT

  1. errand

    An errand is a short journey undertaken to accomplish a specific task or duty, often outside one's home. This task can include shopping, delivering or collecting items, or performing a service.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Errandnoun

    a special business intrusted to a messenger; something to be told or done by one sent somewhere for the purpose; often, a verbal message; a commission; as, the servant was sent on an errand; to do an errand. Also, one's purpose in going anywhere

  2. Etymology: [OE. erende, erande, message, business, AS. rende, rend; akin to OS. arundi, OHG. arunti, Icel. eyrendi, rendi, erendi, Sw. rende, Dan. rende; perh. akin to AS. earu swift, Icel. rr, and to L. oriri to rise, E. orient.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Errand

    er′and, n. a message: a commission to say or do something.—A fool's errand, a useless undertaking; Go an errand, to go with messages; Make an errand, to invent a reason for going. [A.S. ǽrende; Ice. eyrindi; prob. conn. with Goth. áirus, Ice. árr, a messenger.]

Matched Categories

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

Anagrams for errand »

  1. darner

  2. Darren

  3. rander

  4. redarn

How to pronounce errand?

How to say errand in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of errand in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of errand in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of errand in a Sentence

  1. John Boehner:

    But over the course of the August recess in 2013 and in September, a lot of my Republican colleagues who knew this was a fool's errand -- really, they were getting all this pressure from home to do this.

  2. Kellyanne Conway:

    Nobody's going to have a silver bullet, a magic elixir on stage at the CNN debate that dislodges Trump from the top of the polls. That's a fool's errand, it's incumbent upon these candidates to show contrast from other people's point of views, including Mr. Trump's.

  3. The Kansas native:

    I think impeaching Trump is a fools errand pushed by fools.

  4. Vincent Maggio:

    This was seriously just a routine errand in my book, No biggie at all, i was just doing someone a favor that was fun for me too. It was certainly no chore. I’m really happy a bunch of people got to see the photos from the journey.

  5. Joe Biden:

    The answer is that I'm running the traps on this. I don't want to make this a fool's errand, i'm a lot closer than I was before Christmas, and we'll make the decision soon.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

errand#10000#48813#100000

Translations for errand

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for errand »

Translation

Find a translation for the errand definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"errand." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 9 Nov. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/errand>.

Discuss these errand definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for errand? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
    A vehicle
    B humility
    C staff
    D plantation

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for errand: