Phrasal Verbs With 'Run'

Run across phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Meet or find accidentally
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: I RAN ACROSS an old friend in the library.

Run after phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Chase, pursue
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: The police RAN AFTER the guy who'd stolen it, but he was too fast for them.
  2. Meaning: Try to become romantically involved with someone
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: He was RUNNING AFTER her for ages never managed to get a date.

Run against phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Oppose, make difficulties
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: Opinion is RUNNING AGAINST his policies and he has very little support.

Run along phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Go away, leave (often as an imperative)
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: They kept disturbing him, so he told them to RUN ALONG and leave him in peace.

Run around phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Be very busy doing many things
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: I'm exhausted- I've been RUNNING AROUND all day.

Run away phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Escape from people chasing you
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: He RAN AWAY from his attackers.
  2. Meaning: Leave home because of problems with other family members or to elope
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: She RAN AWAY to avoid a forced marriage.

Run by phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Tell someone your ideas so that they can comment
    (Separable [obligatory] | International English)
    » Example: She RAN her ideas BY the committee to see what they felt.

Run down phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Hit a pedestrian with a vehicle
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: The minicab RAN him DOWN on the zebra crossing.
  2. Meaning: Lose energy or power
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: You should only recharge the battery when it has fully RUN DOWN.
  3. Meaning: Criticise, disparage
    (Separable [obligatory] | International English)
    » Example: They're always RUNNING me DOWN and I am sick and tired of it.
  4. Meaning: Find the source or origin of something
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: The police RAN DOWN all the leads they had and caught them.

Run for phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Campaign for a position
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: She's thinking about RUNNING FOR the presidency.

Run in phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Arrest, take to police station for questioning
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: They RAN him IN last night.
  2. Meaning: Drive a new car carefully in order not to damage the engine
    (Separable [optional] | British English)
    » Example: She RAN the car IN for a thousand miles.
  3. Meaning: Pay a casual visit
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: We RAN IN and chatted for an hour.
  4. Meaning: Insert
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: He RAN a graph IN next to the text.

Run into phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Cost
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: The project has RUN INTO millions of dollars without any prospect of a return on this investment.
  2. Meaning: Meet by accident
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: I RAN INTO James in a bar in the City on Friday.

Run off phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Make photocopies
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: Could you RUN OFF two hundred copies of this report, please.

Run off with phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Take or steal something
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: She RAN OFF WITH my umbrella.
  2. Meaning: Leave a place or a relationship to marry or have a relationship with someone
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: She RAN OFF WITH her accountant.

Run on phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Be powered by
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: The van RUNS ON diesel.

Run out of phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Have none left
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: We've RUN OUT OF sugar; I'm going to the shops for some.

Run over phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Explain quickly
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: Could you RUN OVER that point again; I'm afraid I didn't quite understand it.
  2. Meaning: Hit with a vehicle
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: The driver couldn't stop in time and RAN the fox OVER when it ran in front of his car.
  3. Meaning: Exceed a time limit
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: The meeting RAN OVER by twenty minutes.

Run past phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Tell someone your ideas so that they can comment
    (Separable [obligatory] | International English)
    » Example: They RAN it PAST the manager before they implemented it.

Run through phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Practise a dramatic work like a play quickly
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: The cast RAN THROUGH the play the day before it opened to the public.
  2. Meaning: Stab or wound deeply with a knife, sword, etc.
    (Separable [obligatory] | International English)
    » Example: The musketeer RAN his enemy THROUGH with a sword and killed him.

Run to phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Go to someone for help
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: Whenever he gets into debt, he RUNS TO his parents for help.
  2. Meaning: Include in things you like
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: His musical tastes RUN TO the Residents, who are hated by most people.
  3. Meaning: Have enough money to buy something, often negative
    (Inseparable | British English)
    » Example: Things are a bit tight and won't RUN TO going abroad for a holiday.

Run up phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Move quickly to where someone is
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: He RAN UP next to me and started shouting.
  2. Meaning: Hoist, raise a flag
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: They RAN UP the Union Jack.
  3. Meaning: Do or make something very quickly
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: He RAN UP a few examples for them to look at.
  4. Meaning: Spend a lot of money on credit
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: He RAN UP a lot of bills at the hotel.

Run up against phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Encounter problems, often unexpected
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: They RAN UP AGAINST a lot of opposition to the construction.

Run up on phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Approach someone without their knowing
    (Inseparable | American English)
    » Example: Robert was sitting in his car and a guy RAN UP ON him and shot through the car but missed.

Run with phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Keep company, normally bad
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: She RUNS WITH some dodgy characters.

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