Meaning & use
run a fade
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseslanginformal
To challenge someone to a fight, or to agree to fight someone, often used as a dare.
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; often followed by 'with someone' to show who the fight is against.
Patterns
- run a fade with someone
- run a fade on someone
After the argument, he told his rival he wanted to run a fade.
She posted online that she would run a fade with anyone who disagreed.
They decided to run a fade after school, but a teacher stopped them.
Common combinations
- run a fade with someone
- He said he would run a fade with anyone who insulted his friend.
- run a fade on someone
- She threatened to run a fade on the girl who spread rumors.
- want to run a fade
- Do you really want to run a fade over something so small?
- try to run a fade
- He tried to run a fade, but nobody took him seriously.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fight
- Fight is the general word for any physical struggle; run a fade is slang and specifically means challenging or agreeing to a fight.
- brawl
- Brawl suggests a noisy, disorderly fight involving several people; run a fade usually refers to a one-on-one challenge.
- scrap
- Scrap is informal for a small fight; run a fade is more specific to a challenge or dare.
Commonly confused: run a fade or fade? run a fade or run a fade?
run a fade vs fade
As a noun, fade often means a gradual disappearance or a hairstyle; in this phrase it means a fight. Don't confuse the two.
run a fade vs run a fade
Not to be confused with 'run a fade' in barbering, which means to give someone a fade haircut.
Practice
What does 'run a fade' mean in the sentence: 'He told his rival he wanted to run a fade.'?
Choose one answer.
In this context, 'run a fade' is slang for challenging someone to a fight. The other options are literal meanings of 'fade' or unrelated actions, and do not fit the slang phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “run a fade”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.