23 English Phrasal Verbs With 'RUN'

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23 phrasal verbs with 'RUN'

Run across

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

Run after

  1. Chase, pursue
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: The police RAN AFTER the guy who'd stolen it, but he was too fast for them.
  2. 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

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

Run along

  1. 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

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

Run away

  1. Escape from people chasing you
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: He RAN AWAY from his attackers.
  2. 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

  1. 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

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

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

Run in

  1. Arrest, take to police station for questioning
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: They RAN him IN last night.
  2. 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. Pay a casual visit
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: We RAN IN and chatted for an hour.
  4. Insert
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: He RAN a graph IN next to the text.

Run into

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

Run off

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

Run off with

  1. Take or steal something
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: She RAN OFF WITH my umbrella.
  2. 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

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

Run out of

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

Run over

  1. Explain quickly
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: Could you RUN OVER that point again; I'm afraid I didn't quite understand it.
  2. 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. Exceed a time limit
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: The meeting RAN OVER by twenty minutes.

Run past

  1. 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

  1. 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. 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

  1. Go to someone for help
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: Whenever he gets into debt, he RUNS TO his parents for help.
  2. Include in things you like
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: His musical tastes RUN TO the Residents, who are hated by most people.
  3. 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

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

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

Run up on

  1. 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

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

Take our Exercise on 'RUN'

Quiz for Verb: 'To RUN'

Choose the correct definition for each phrasal verb...

'Run down' means...

'Run past' means...

'Run for' means...

'Run on' means...

'Run along' means...

'Run across' means...

'Run to' means...

'Run down' means...

'Run in' means...

'Run in' means...

 

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