From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englisherrander‧rand /ˈerənd/ noun [countable] JOB/TASKa short journey in order to do something for someone, for example delivering or collecting something for them I seemed to spend my life running errands for people. She was always sending me on errands.on an errand I couldn’t stop because I was on an errand. He quickly set out on his errand of mercy (=journey to help someone in danger). → (send somebody on) a fool’s errand at fool1(11)
Examples from the Corpus
errand• Before you disappear, I want you to do an errand for me.• He often got me out of bed, late on an evening, to run an errand.• As soon as you paid some one to run an errand, a record of payment was created.• And among unloved tasks, household chores and errands, cleaning is one of the most hated.• They all had lots of last-minute errands to do.• My superior self was on a quixotic errand!• Peter cleaned equipment, ran errands, answered the phone -- it was all routine.• I used to pick up her dry cleaning and run errands for her.• Our morning had been devoted to running errands and visiting the obligatory temples.• The occasional curtained litter or rickshaw sheltered its rich occupant from the sun as he or she ventured out on some errand.• After all, we plan for meals, work, dental visits, errands, and television programs.running errands• I used to hang around there on weekends, cadging handouts and running errands and hustling cabs for the swells.• I started out as a gofer, running errands for him and doing odd little jobs.• They worry that agents sound a bit too much like computer viruses, which instead of running errands may run amok.• The other servants were at market or running errands.• He soon got to know the young kids who eked a living by carrying luggage, polishing shoes or running errands.• She never wasted time running errands.• Our morning had been devoted to running errands and visiting the obligatory temples.• They set him to running errands, storing and fetching account books, making sure the inkwells were filled.Origin errand Old English ærend 