runway

1. (athletics) In javelin, long jump, and similar events: a short track along which athletes can accelerate themselves for their jumps or throws.Examples: "Proper footwear is a must for javelin throwing. To some degree the surface of the runway will dictate the type of shoe."; "The main goal of the approach run is to attain the maximum controllable running speed on the runway immediately prior to the throw."

2. (aviation) A section of land, usually paved, for airplanes to land on or take off from.Examples: "Down at the end of the field when ready for the take-off, I'd taxi the ship off the runway and tell him why I did that—"so as not to block incoming ships," and I'd tell him at the same time why the incoming ship was supposed to land in the first third of the field and why in the take-off we were going all the way to the end of the runway and not try to take off up the middle of the runway."; "Space Shuttle. A human-operated space vehicle launched by a rocket to orbit the Earth and then return to Earth and land undamaged on a runway like a conventional airplane."; "They hurried across the waiting hall to the departure gates. Through the windows he could see the floodlights on the field, shining on the runways. Planes pulled up in rows at the gates, assembly-line style, workers swarming over them like ants even before they stopped."

3. (finance, informal) Hence, the number of months that a startup company can operate by using up its cash reserves.Examples: "So, if you have $1.8M in the bank and monthly burn rate of $150,000, you have a runway of 12 months."; "There was so much investment—as much capital as twice the GDP of Tuvalu—which meant we must have enough runway, right?"informal