Part 459

The Norsemen had a peculiar alphabet, consisting of sixteen letters, or characters, called runes, the origin of which is lost in the remotest antiquity. The signification of the word rune (mystery) seems to allude to the fact that originally only a few were acquainted with the use of these marks, and that they were mostly applied to secret tricks, witchcrafts and enchantments. But the runes were also used in communication by writing.

2. pl. Old Norse poetry expressed in runes.

Runes were upon his tongue, As on the warrior's sword.

Longfellow.

Rune stone, a stone bearing a runic inscription.

Ru"ner (?), n. A bard, or learned man, among the ancient Goths. Sir W. Temple.

Rung (?), imp. & p. p. of Ring.

Rung, n. [OE. ronge, AS. hrung, a staff, rod, pole; akin to G. runge a short, thick piece of iron or wood, OD. ronghe a prop, support, Icel. röng a rib in a ship, Goth. Hrugga a staff.] 1. (Shipbuilding) A floor timber in a ship.

2. One of the rounds of a ladder.

3. One of the stakes of a cart; a spar; a heavy staff.

4. (Mach.) One of the radial handles projecting from the rim of a steering wheel; also, one of the pins or trundles of a lantern wheel.

Rung"head` (?), n. (Shipbuilding) The upper end of a floor timber in a ship.

Ru"nic (?), a. Of or pertaining to a rune, to runes, or to the Norsemen; as, runic verses; runic letters; runic names; runic rhyme.

Runic staff. See Clog almanac, under Clog. -- Runic wand, a willow wand bearing runes, formerly thought to have been used by the heathen tribes of Northern Europe in magical ceremonies.

Run"let (?), n. [Run + - let.] A little run or stream; a streamlet; a brook.

To trace out to its marshy source every runlet that has cast in its tiny pitcherful with the rest.

Lowell.

Run"let, n. Same as Rundlet. "A stoup of sack, or a runlet of canary." Sir W. Scott.

Run"nel (?), n. [From Run. Cf. Rindle.] A rivulet or small brook.

Bubbling runnels joined the sound.

Collins.

By the very sides of the way . . . there are slow runnels, in which one can see the minnows swimming.

Masson.

Run"ner (?), n. [From Run.] 1. One who, or that which, runs; a racer.

2. A detective. [Slang, Eng.] Dickens.

3. A messenger. Swift.

4. A smuggler. [Colloq.] R. North.

5. One employed to solicit patronage, as for a steamboat, hotel, shop, etc. [Cant, U.S.]