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.

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