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Phrase(s): run something down
to use something having batteries, a motor, or an engine until it has no more power and it stops. • Who ran my electric toothbrush down? • Someone ran down my batteries., Phrase(s): run someone or something down
1. to collide with and knock down someone or something. • The drunken driver ran three pedestrians down. • Mary ran down a stop sign. 2. to criticize or deride someone or something. • Please stop running me down all the time. I can’t be that bad! • You run down everybody who takes your old job! 3. to hunt for and locate someone or something. • Could you run some information down for me? • I was finally able to run down my old friend., Phrase(s): run down
1. to come down, running or very quickly; to go down, running or very quickly. • I need to talk to you down here. Can you run down? • I will run down and talk to you. 2. [for something] to lose power and stop working. • The clock ran down because no one was there to wind it. • The toy ran down and wouldn’t go again until it had been wound. 3. to become worn or dilapidated. • The property was allowed to run down, and it took a lot of money to fix it up. • The old neighborhood has certainly run down since we moved away.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
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1. Stop because of lack of power or force, as in The alarm clock finally ran down. [Mid-1700s] 2. Make or be tired, cause to decline or be declined in health or vigor, as in His long illness ran him down, leaving him with no energy, or After that huge assignment his strength ran down. [First half of 1800s] 3. Collide with and knock over, as in The speeding motorist ran down a pedestrian. [Second half of 1500s] 4. Chase and capture, as in Police detectives ran down the suspects. [Second half of 1600s] 5. Trace the source of, as in She ran down all the references at the library. 6. Disparage, as in Don't run him down, he's a talented actor. [Second half of 1600s] Also see PUT DOWN, def. 4. 7. Also, run one's eyes over. Look over, review, as in Let's run down the membership list again and see if we can pick a delegate, or She ran her eyes over the crowd, looking for her husband. 8. In baseball, tag out a runner between bases, as in We might have won but in the last inning they ran down two of our runners.
American Heritage Idioms