Phrasal verbs with 'RUN'

RUN ACROSS – to find / meet / encounter smth by accident.

I ran across my childhood diary when I was looking for my birth certificate.

RUN AFTER – to chase smth or sb (both literally and figuratively)

“He should stop running after her, she doesn’t deserve him.”

“Yeah, at this point his obsession is getting ridiculous. I’m still cringing when I think about how he ran after her car when she was leaving for the airport.”

RUN AGAINST – to compete against someone (esp. in the elections)

This year, Paul Amory runs against Mona Gummy for State Senate.

RUN ALONG – to go away in haste.

Don’t bother making coffee for me, I’ll be running along in a minute.

RUN AROUND – 1) to run unsystematically over some area 2) to be very busy doing a lot of stuff (esp. in different locations)

The Throngs took their son to his great parents, so that he could run around (1) in the backyard, while they are running around (2), getting things done for the party.

RUN AWAY – 1) to (secretly) leave a place where you don’t want to be (to escape) 2) to avoid dealing with smth unpleasant

Marty ran away (1) from home because he thought it would help him run away (1) from his problems.

RUN BY – to share your thoughts, ideas, projects with someone whose opinion/approval you want or need to hear

I will need to run this plan by Mr. Mighty first.

RUN DOWN – 1) to hit someone on the road while driving a vehicle 2) to make smth gradually stop working or become smaller (e.g. abt. business) 3) to read the items on a list quickly

After Jenkins ran a kid down (1) with his car, the public was ready to do anything to run his factories down (2). But you know, I recently had a chance to run down (3) the list of all the horrible things he’s done before that accident, and I am surprised no one tried to destroy him earlier.

RUN FOR – 1) to take part in the elections as a candidate 2) to run somewhere very quickly to escape from smth

“Did you know that Doddy Poll is running for (1) president this year?”

“Oh, God, I think we all need to run for (2) cover…”

RUN INTO – 1) to meet someone by chance 2) to hit smth/sb with a vehicle

I ran into (1) Olly at the bar last night. He said his father was arrested for running into (2) a shop window with his car while being drunk.

RUN OFF – 1) to leave a place (or a person) suddenly/unexpectedly 2) to make someone leave by force

My dad ran off (1) when I was 10. If he ever comes to my doorstep, I will run him off (2) with a broomstick.

RUN OFF WITH – 1) to (secretly) leave with a lover 2) to (secretly) flee with smth stolen

When Kira ran off (1) with Mikey, Hal took it surprisingly well. But when he found out that they’d run off (2) with his family heirloom, he was furious.

RUN OUT OF – to finish a supply of smth

Oh no, we’ve run out of coffee, how am I supposed to survive this day without it?

RUN OVER – to hit someone with a vehicle

Three people were run over by a bus on this street yesterday.

RUN PAST (= RUN BY)

RUN THROUGH – 1) to explain smth quickly 2) to practice smth again to make sure you can nail it 3) to be felt or uttered by everyone in a crowd (abt. a feeling or a sound) 4) to pierce sb with smth sharp

First, I’ll run through (1) our plan for tomorrow, then we’ll run through (2) the dance again. Shudders must run through (3) the audience while you’re dancing. And after the dance, they must feel as if you’ve just run a knife through (4) their hearts!

RUN TO – to ask sb for help (esp. if it makes you look weak)

So whatcha gonna do, loser? You gonna run to your mommy?

RUN UP AGAINST – to encounter/experience problems/difficulties

We were running up against countless problems when we just started filming the show.