it runs in the blood
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
It is inherited or exists in the family or race. It runs in the blood of our family. — SHERIDAN: The Rivals, iv, 2.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “it runs in the blood” mean?
It is inherited or exists in the family or race. It runs in the blood of our family. — SHERIDAN: The Rivals, iv, 2.
Is “it runs in the blood” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.