errand

An errand is a short trip undertaken to perform a task, typically outside one’s home or workplace. Errands are usually practical and time-limited, and they may be personal in nature or part of someone’s job responsibilities. They often involve acquiring goods, delivering messages, or completing administrative duties.

Common errands include shopping for groceries or supplies, posting or mailing items, paying bills, picking up prescriptions, dropping off forms, or delivering items to another person or location. In a workplace, an employee or assistant may be assigned errands by a supervisor, yielding phrases such as “running errands” or “gofer tasks.”

Etymology and usage: The word derives from Old English ærend (later ærende), meaning a message or commission. The sense of a short mission to fulfill for someone else has persisted since the medieval period. In modern usage, “to run errands” describes undertaking such tasks; “errand” also appears as a noun to denote the task itself.

Importance and considerations: Running errands often requires planning for travel time, budget, and safety. Digital tools and services, such as online ordering and curbside pickup, have transformed how errands are performed by enabling batching of tasks or outsourcing some tasks to third parties. The concept also appears in informal language and literature, reflecting everyday arrangements in households and organizations.