[run for one’s money]{n. phr.} 1. A good fight; a hard struggle. — Usually used with "give" or "get". •/Our team didn’t win the game, but they gave the other team a run for their money./ 2. Satisfaction; interest; excitement. — Usually used with "give" or "get". •/People like to watch the champion fight because they get a good run for their money from him./ •/A good student gives a teacher more than a run for his money./

[run in]{v. phr.} 1. {informal} To take to jail; arrest. •/The policeman ran the man in for peddling without a license./ 2. To make a brief visit. •/The neighbor boy ran in for a minute to see Bob’s newest model rocket./ Syn.: DROP IN. Compare: STOP OFF.

[run-in]{n.} 1. A traffic accident. •/My car was wrecked when I had a run-in with a small truck./ 2. A violent quarrel. •/John had a nasty run-in with his boss and was fired./

[run in the blood] or [run in the family] {v. phr.} To be a common family characteristic; be learned or inherited from your family. •/A great interest in gardening runs in his family./ •/Red hair runs in the family./

[run into]{v.} 1. To mix with; join with. •/If the paint brush is too wet, the red paint will run into the white on the house./ •/This small brook runs into a big river in the valley below./ 2. To add up to; reach; total. •/Car repairs can run into a lot of money./ •/The number of people killed on the highways during holidays runs into hundreds./ •/A good dictionary may run into several editions./ 3a. Bump; crash into; hit. •/Joe lost control of his bike and ran into a tree./ Compare: RUN DOWN. 3b. To meet by chance. •/I ran into Joe yesterday on Main Street./ Compare: BUMP INTO, CHANCE ON, COME ACROSS(2). 3e. Be affected by; get into. •/I ran into trouble on the last problem on the test./ •/When I ran into a problem while making my model airplane, I asked Uncle Mark for help./

[run into a brick wall] or [run into a stone wall] See: STONE WALL.

[run into the ground]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To do or use (something) more than is wanted or needed. •/It’s all right to borrow my hammer once in a while, but don’t run it into the ground./ 2. To win over or defeat (someone) completely. •/We lost the game today, but tomorrow we’ll run them into the ground./

[run its course]{v. phr.} To fulfill a normal development; terminate a normal period. •/Your flu will run its course; in a few days you’ll be back on your feet./

[run off]{v. phr.} 1. To produce with a printing press or duplicating machine. •/The print shop ran off a thousand copies of the newspaper./ 2. To drive away. •/The boys saw a dog digging in mother’s flower bed, and they ran him off./ •/When the salesman tried to cheat the farmer, the farmer ran him off the farm with a shotgun./ 3. See: RUN AWAY.

[run-off]{n.} A second election held to determine the winner when the results of the first one were inconclusive. •/The senatorial race was so close that the candidates will have to hold a run-off./

[run off at the mouth]{v. phr.} To talk too much; be unable to stop talking. •/"Shut up, John," our father cried. "You are always running off at the mouth."/

[run of luck]{n. phr.} A period of good luck. •/I had a run of luck last Saturday when I went fishing and caught seven big trout within one hour./

[run-of-the-mill] or [run-of-the-mine] {adj.} Of a common kind; ordinary; usual. •/Frank is a very good bowler, but Joe is just run-of-the-mill./ •/It was just a run-of-the-mine movie./

[runner-up]{n.} The person who finishes second in a race or contest; the one next after the winner. •/Tom won the race and Jack was runner-up./ •/Joan was runner-up in the contest for class secretary./ Compare: SECOND-BEST.

[running start]{n. phr.} Good progress at the beginning. •/The team was off to a running start, having won the first two games./ •/Contributions of $5000 before the drive began gave the charity fund a running start./ Compare: HEAD START.

[run out]{v.} 1a. To come to an end; be used up. •/Jerry almost got across the brook on the slippery stones but his luck ran out and he slipped and fell./ •/We’d better do our Christmas shopping; time is running out./ Syn.: GIVE OUT(5). 1b. To use all of the supply; be troubled by not having enough. •/The car ran out of gas three miles from town./ •/Millie never runs out of ideas for clever party decorations./ Compare: RUN SHORT. 2. {informal} To force to leave; expel. •/Federal agents ran the spies out of the country./ Syn.: KICK OUT, RUN OFF.

[run out on]{v. phr.} To leave someone in the lurch; abandon another. •/When Ted ran out on Delores, she got so angry that she sued him for divorce./

[run over]{v.} 1. To be too full and flow over the edge; spill over. •/Billy forgot he had left the water on, and the tub ran over./ 2. To try or go over (something) quickly; practice briefly. •/During the lunch hour, Mary ran over her history facts so she would remember them for the test./ •/The coach ran over the signals for the trick play with the team just before game time./ 3. To drive on top of; ride over. •/At night cars often run over small animals that are blinded by the headlights./ Syn.: RUN DOWN.

[run ragged]{v. phr.} To tire out; make nervous by too much worry or work. •/Trying to keep up with too many clubs, sports, and activities in addition to his homework ran Tom ragged./ •/On a rainy day the children sometimes ran Mother ragged./ Compare: WEAR OUT.

[run rings around] See: RUN CIRCLES AROUND.

[run riot]{v. phr.} 1. To act freely or wildly; not control yourself. •/The monkey got out of his cage and ran riot in the pet shop./ •/John let his imagination run riot, thinking he was hunting lions in Africa./ 2. To be or grow in great numbers or large amounts. •/Daisies ran riot in the meadow./ Compare: RUN WILD.

[run scared]{v. phr.} To expect defeat, as in a political campaign. •/The one-vote defeat caused him to run scared in every race thereafter./

[run short]{v. phr.} 1. To not have enough. •/Bob asked Jack to lend him five dollars because he was running short./ •/We are running short of sugar./ Compare: RUN OUT. 2. To be not enough in quantity. •/We are out of potatoes and the flour is running short./

[run that by me again!]{v. phr.}, {informal command} Repeat what you just said, as I couldn’t understand you. •/"Run that by me again," he cried. "This telephone connection is very bad."/

[run the gauntlet] also [gantlet] {v. phr.} 1. To be made to run between two lines of people facing each other and be hit by them with clubs or other weapons. •/Joe had to run the gauntlet as part of his initiation into the club./ 2. To face a hard test; bear a painful experience. •/Ginny had to run the gauntlet of her mother’s questions about how the ink spot got on the dining room rug./

[run through]{v.} 1. To make a hole through, especially with a sword; pierce. •/The pirate was a good swordsman, but the hero finally ran him through./ 2. To spend recklessly; use up wastefully. •/The rich man’s son quickly ran through his money./ Syn.: GO THROUGH(4). 3. To read or practice from beginning to end without stopping. •/The visiting singer ran through his numbers with the orchestra just before the program./