errand Meaning, Definition & Usage

Er"rand noun

Etymology

OE. erende, erande, message, business, AS. ærende, ærend; akin to OS. arundi, OHG. arunti, Icel. eyrendi, örendi, erendi, Sw. ärende, Dan. ærende; perh. akin to AS. earu swift, Icel. örr, and to L. oriri to rise, E. orient.

Definitions

1. 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. To run an errand. To perform an errand.  
3. A mission. .