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Phrase(s): run something up
1. Lit. to raise or hoist something, such as a flag. • Harry ran the flag up the flagpole each morning. • Will you please run up the flag today? 2. Fig. to cause something to go higher, such as the price of stocks or commodities. • A rumor about higher earnings ran the price of the computer stocks up early in the afternoon. • They ran up the price too high. 3. Fig. to accumulate indebtedness. • I ran up a huge phone bill last month. • Walter ran up a bar bill at the hotel that made his boss angry. 4. to stitch something together quickly. • She’s very clever. I’m sure she can run up a costume for you. • The seamstress ran up a party dress in one afternoon., Phrase(s): run up (to someone or something)
to run as far as someone or something and stop; to run to the front of someone or something. • I ran up to the mailman and said hello to him. • I ran up and said hello.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
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1. Make or become greater or larger, as in That offer will run up the price of the stock. [Late 1500s] 2. Accumulate, as in She ran up huge bills at the florist. [First half of 1700s] 3. Sew rapidly, as in I can run up some new curtains for the kitchen. [Mid-1800s] 4. Raise a flag, as in Let's run up the flag in time for the holiday. This usage, originating in the navy about 1900, gave rise to the slangy phrase, Let's run it up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes, meaning, "Let's try this out." The latter originated about 1960 as advertising jargon.
American Heritage Idioms