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3. run in the family

run in the family

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run in the family

[for a characteristic] to appear in many (or all) members of a family. My grandparents lived well into their nineties, and it runs in the family. My brothers and I have red hair. It runs in the family.

See also: family, run

run in the family

also run in somebody's family

to be a common quality among members of a particular family His father and uncle were basketball stars in college, so athletic ability runs in the family.

See also: family, run

run in the family

if a particular quality or ability runs in the family, a lot of people in that family have it Athletic ability runs in the family: his father played basketball in college and his mother was a high school athlete.

See also: family, run