Hi, everybody. Welcome to www.engvid.com. I'm Adam. In today's
video, I want to give you some more phrasal verbs that are very useful to
know; sometimes a little bit hard to understand if you're not told what they
mean. So, we're going to look at phrasal verbs with the verb "run". Okay? Now,
again, a "phrasal verb" is a combination of a verb and a preposition that can
be... have a li-... can have a literal meaning, but often have secondary, even
third meanings that are completely different from the two words that are
So, now, we're going to look at "run". One of the first things that you need to
remember is that "run" always has the idea of something quickly. So, in many
of these, that's a bit of a factor. Right? So, we're going to look at: "run
out" or "run out of something". So, when you "run out of"... when you "run out of
something", it means you don't have any more of that thing. Now, you can... It
depends if you want to use "of", with "of" or without "of" — depends on how
you structure the sentence. So, for example, you go to a store, and: "Do you
have...?" You ask the cashier something: "Do you have any more of this particular
model of something?" And the cashier will say: "Oh, no, I'm sorry. We've run
out." That means... It's understood that they... they don't have any more of this
particular model. Or: "No, I'm sorry. We've run out of this particular model."
So, "of" will specify the thing that is no more. Right? Another meaning of "run
out" is more literal; it means to run out. So, if you need some milk because
you want to have cereal, but you ran out of milk, "ran out" — the first one,
meaning you don't have any more — then you can just run out to the store and
buy some. It means actually go quickly, get something, come back; very literal
meaning. Okay? So, that's "run out".
"Run through". So, again, the literal meaning — you can actually run through a
building, for example, or through a window, if that's your fancy, but
another meaning is to check for something. So, you can "run through the
books" or "run through the files" to try to find the invoice from last week. Or
you can take some... Like, if you need to understand something or do a
calculation, you can "run the problem or the equation through the computer". Or
you can "run something through a machine" — let the machine check it for
you much more quickly. Right? So, "run through" is often used when we're
talking about machines. You're going to run it through to make sure it's all
correct, or you're just trying to find something.
"Run in" or "run into". Now, "run in" is not very commonly used as a verb; it's
more commonly used as an adjective or a noun. So, "to have a run in" — you can
have a run in with the law. If you have a "run in with the law", that means you
have a bit of a problem with the police. That's what this expression means. A
"run in" means, like, a meeting, but in... not a planned meeting or not even
a meeting that you want to have. It's a meeting by chance. So, you stole some
TVs from a store and the police caught you. You didn't mean for them to catch
you; you're just not a very good thief. That's why they caught you. Right? But
But if you "run into someone", again, literal meaning, like, you're walking
and you bump — right? — like, you physically hit someone, or it could be a
chance meeting. You're walking down the street and your friend is walking the
other way — neither of you expected the other to be there, but: "Oh", there you
are. "Oh, hey. How's it going? Long time no see. I'll call you; we'll do coffee
next week." And then you go your merry way, and don't see each other next week,
because that happens a lot, too. So, if you "run into" — just meet by chance.
Now, you can also "run into"... It doesn't have to be a person; you can
"run into a situation" or you can "run into information" that comes to you by
chance. Right? The main thing to remember is it's by chance. Okay, so
"Run off". Now, again, literal meaning is just "run off" — it means "away",
basically. "You're going to run off" — you're just going to leave; quickly is
the main thing. It's not the same as "run away" — escape, which we're going
to talk about; just "run off" — just leave quickly. Another... We do also
have "runoff" as a noun. A "runoff" in politics is when there's not... Like,
the two candidates, neither of the candidates got a majority of the vote,
so they have to have a second vote, but for those two candidates. So, let's say
there were five candidates, none of the candidates got over 50% of the vote, so
the top two will have "a runoff". They will have another vote to see which one
of these two will continue into office.
A slang use of this expression: "to run off". If somebody says, like: "He ran
off his mouth", means he spoke a little bit too much; said things he shouldn't
have said, but that's a slang meaning. It's very important about the context.
So, if somebody says to you: "Don't run off your mouth", that means: "Don't
say... Be careful what you're saying. Think before you speak", basically. "Run
off". Technically, if... if something, like, drips off you or falls off you,
but like slowly along the way, like rain will "run off" your jacket — that's
another literal meaning for "run off". Okay.
Let's talk about "run about" or "run around". They essentially mean the same
thing. "Run around" obviously has a literal meaning — you can run around the
track. But otherwise "run around and about" mean to just be busy; go
different places, do different things, mostly chores or little tasks you have
around, or just generally be busy. So, if somebody says: -"Where's bill?" -"Oh,
he's just running about, doing chores. He's just running around, meeting
clients", whatever. Is going place to place, being busy, doing that sort of
things. So, that's straightforward.
"Run up". Now, "run up" can be a little bit tricky. You can have it as a noun —
a "run up to something" means, like, leading to. So, for example, the Oscars.
The Oscars, like, when they give awards for movies, is a big event. But the
whole week before is "a run up" to the big event. So, they have little events,
or they have interviews with celebrities, or they have special shows
or whatever. So, it's all leading to the main event. If you "run up to someone",
literally, you're running to someone to meet them. Right? Like you see: "Oh,
there's my friend there." And you run up to them and say: "Oh, hey. How are you?"
You can also "run up a bill". "Run up" basically means increase. So, if you go
to a bar, and they allow you to have a tab... A "tab" means that you don't have
to pay every time you buy a drink. You buy your drinks, buy your drinks, they
keep a record and then at the end of the night, they give you the bill. So,
that's a "tab". So, if you "run up a tab" means you're just increasing the
total. So, every time you order a drink, your total, the total money that you owe
goes up and up. So, you're "running up the bill". You can also "run up your
electricity bill" by using... leaving the lights on all the time. You can "run
up" all kinds of things. Usually it's about money, and it's about a final bill
that you have to pay. Okay, I think that's it for "run up". Let's move.
Now, notice I put an asterisks here; an asterisk: "rundown". "Rundown" is not
commonly used as a phrasal verb; it's more commonly used as an adjective. And
it's combined into one word: "rundown". If "someone is rundown", it means, like,
they're very tired or very... they've... a little bit worn out. Right? They've
been working too hard, and they have bags under their eyes, and like their
hair is all messy, and they... they look like they can barely move, so they look
"rundown" — in bad condition; in weak condition. But you can also "run down",
like you can run down the stairs very thing. You can also "run down a list".
So, you're going through the list, you're running down the list to see
what's on the list. What needs to be done? So, you have a to-do list. So, you
just run down the list: "Okay, this is what I have to do next. Okay, this is
what I have to do next." Technically, not commonly used, but technically, "run
down" means also chase somebody. So, somebody you want to catch, you run
after them, and you run them down and bring them down to the ground. So, the
police might do that, but it's not commonly used anyway.
Let's look at "run over". You can "run over" to your friend's house, like,
actually running over there, but more commonly it is used when a car hits
somebody. So, if you "run over your neighbour's foot", it means you drove
over his or her foot; or you "ran over a squirrel" in the street and you killed
And then: "run across". "Run across" again, "run across the field to the
it — it happens. So, right... Especially in Canada. "Run over" — hit with a car.
"Run away" basically means "escape . Usually you can say: "run away fr
m something". Now, it doesn't have to be a physical thing. You can "run away fr
m your problems" or just "run from yo r problems" — means you're trying
o escape; you're trying to avoid yo r problems. And again, literal "run awa
" means away from somewhere; you're ju t running. If something run... runs aw
y from you, you can also say that you ha e lost control. Right? So, you... let
s say even a teacher is managing a classroom, and one student starts
o speak, and then another, and another. nd basically the... the control of
he class or the... the noise or the may em in the class has "run away fr
m the teacher" — the teacher has lost c ntrol of the situation.
Okay, so that's it for "run". Pretty straightforward, I think. These ones are
other side" — running. But "run acros " also means discover something. So, I w
s reading a magazine and I ran across n article that explained why I wasn
t sleeping well at night, or I ran acro s a great recipe to try out. So, y
u discover by chance. You were doi g something else, and you ran acro
s something; you found it, and it's a go d thing for you. And last one: "run for
. Now, the most common use of "run for" s try to get, like, a political offic
. So, every four years, two people run f r president or run for the office of t
e president. Or every year, there's peop e who try to run for mayor, or run f
r senator, or run for whatever it is. Y u can also "run for a particular purpo
e". Like, you're "running for cover". So if it's a... let's say you're in a
war zone, and bombs are falling, yo 're going to run for the place that
ill cover your head and protect you from the bombs. Right? So, "run for cover"
s a common expression. Or you can "run for charity". Right? Some people lik
... like, again, literally running to ake money to give to charity to help o
her people, especially like disease-rese rch kind of charities.
not too confusing, like some of the other phrasal verbs we've come across.
But, again, if you want to make sure you understand them, go to www.engvid.com,
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