The Collaborative International Dictionary
Errand \Er"rand\, n. [OE. erende, erande, message, business, AS. [ae]rende, [ae]rend; akin to OS. arundi, OHG. arunti, Icel. eyrendi, ["o]rendi, erendi, Sw. ["a]rende, Dan. [ae]rende; perh. akin to AS. earu swift, Icel. ["o]rr, and to L. oriri to rise, E. orient.] 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.
I have a secret errand to thee, O king.
--Judg. iii.
19.
I will not eat till I have told mine errand.
--Gen.
xxiv. 33.
2. 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.
3. A mission.
To run an errand, To perform an errand[2].
Usage examples of "to run an errand".
I hope you won't mind, but I borrowed Humphrey during the night to run an errand for me.
Now and again Captain Scull would dispatch Jake to run an errand for Madame Scull--?
How do you know she didn't remember she needed to run an errand in Farberville or drop by Elsie's for coffee and cookies?
But the first minute I turn my back-leaving him safe in the arms of Minerva with Galahad to back her up-I leave to run an errand .
Even with Tyss carrying up box for box with me I was vastly relieved when I had to quit to run an errand.