The verb RUN creates dynamic phrasal verbs for movement and operation. From running out of time to running into old friends, this family covers speed, encounters, depletion, management, and continuation. Master these phrasal verbs and you'll express action and motion like a native speaker.
Meaning: To escape by running, to leave home suddenly, to avoid problems
"The children ran away when they saw the angry dog."
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"He ran away from home when he was 16 years old."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Can mean physical escape, leaving home, or avoiding responsibility.
Meaning: To leave quickly, to make copies, to drive away
"The thief ran off with my purse!"
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"Can you run off 50 copies of this document?"
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Multiple meanings: escaping, printing, or chasing someone away.
Meaning: To chase someone or something while running
"The police officer ran after the suspect."
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"The dog ran after the ball in the park."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Always implies pursuing someone or something that's moving.
Meaning: To be very busy, to run in various directions, to avoid giving direct answers
"I've been running around all day preparing for the party."
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"Stop giving me the runaround and answer my question!"
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Often describes being busy or avoiding direct communication.
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Meaning: To use up the supply of something, to have none left
"We've run out of milk - can you buy some more?"
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"I'm running out of time to finish this project."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
One of the most commonly used phrasal verbs in daily life.
Meaning: To have only a small amount left of something
"The car is running low on gas - we need to stop soon."
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"My phone battery is running low."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Warning stage before completely running out of something.
Meaning: To lose power gradually, to criticize, to hit with a vehicle
"My laptop battery has run down - I need to charge it."
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"He's always running down his coworkers behind their backs."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Multiple meanings: battery depletion, criticism, or accidents.
Meaning: To meet someone unexpectedly, to collide with, to encounter problems
"I ran into my old friend at the grocery store."
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"We ran into some technical difficulties during the presentation."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Very versatile: unexpected meetings, collisions, or encountering problems.
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Meaning: To hit someone/something with a vehicle, to exceed time limits, to review quickly
"Be careful not to run over the cat in the driveway."
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"The meeting ran over by 30 minutes."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Context is important: accidents, time limits, or quick review.
Meaning: To find or discover something by chance
"I ran across an interesting article about climate change."
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"While cleaning, she ran across some old photographs."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Similar to "come across" - implies unexpected discovery.
Meaning: To manage or operate a business, organization, or system
"She runs a successful restaurant downtown."
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"Who runs this department when the manager is away?"
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Essential for business and management contexts.
Meaning: To review or practice something quickly, to use up completely
"Let's run through the presentation one more time."
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"He ran through his inheritance in just two years."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Can mean practicing/reviewing or spending money quickly.
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Meaning: To accumulate debt or costs, to run upward, to approach quickly
"She ran up a huge credit card bill during her vacation."
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"The child ran up the stairs to his bedroom."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Often used for accumulating expenses or moving upward.
Meaning: To continue for longer than expected, to operate using fuel/power
"The meeting ran on for three hours!"
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"This car runs on hybrid technology."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Can mean extended duration or describing power source.
Meaning: To be behind schedule, to arrive later than planned
"I'm running late for my doctor's appointment."
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"The train is running late due to technical problems."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Very common expression for being behind schedule.
Meaning: To be delayed or behind schedule
"The project is running behind schedule."
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"Sorry I'm late - I've been running behind all day."
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Similar to "run late" but often used for ongoing delays.
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Meaning: To repeat a process, program, or activity
"The software crashed - let's run it again."
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"Can you run that test again to confirm the results?"
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Common in technology and testing contexts.
Meaning: To return quickly by running, to rewind or replay
"I need to run back to the store - I forgot something."
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"Can you run back the video to the beginning?"
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๐ก Usage Tip:
Can mean physical return or rewinding media.