– phrases
be run off one's feet be extremely busy.
a (good) run for one's money

• 1 challenging competition or opposition.

• 2 reward or enjoyment in return for one's efforts.

on the run

• 1 escaping from arrest.

• 2 while running or moving.

run before one can walk attempt something difficult before one has grasped the basic skills.
run dry

• 1 (of a well or river) cease to flow or have any water.

• 2 (of a supply) be completely used up.

(make a) run for it attempt to escape by running away.
run foul (or chiefly N. Amer. afoul) of

• 1 Nautical collide or become entangled with.

• 2 come into conflict with.

run into the sand come to nothing.
run low (or short) (of a supply) become depleted.
run off at the mouth N. Amer. informal talk excessively or indiscreetly.
run a temperature be suffering from a high temperature.
run someone/thing to ground (or Brit. earth) Hunting chase a quarry to its lair.

■ Brit. find someone or something after a long search.

– phrasal verbs
run across meet or find by chance.
run after informal pursue persistently.
run along informal go away.
run away

• 1 take flight; escape.

• 2 try to avoid facing up to danger or difficulty.

run away with

• 1 escape the control of: Susan's imagination was running away with her.

• 2 win (a competition or prize) easily.

run something by (or past) tell (someone) about something, in order to obtain an opinion or reaction.
run someone/thing down

• 1 (of a vehicle) hit and knock over a person or animal.

• 2 criticize someone or something unfairly or unkindly.

• 3 discover someone or something after a search.

• 4 (also run down) reduce or become reduced in size or resources.

• 5 lose or cause to lose power; stop or cause to stop functioning.

• 6 gradually deteriorate.

run someone in informal arrest someone.
run something in Brit. use something new in such a way as not to make maximum demands upon it.
run into

• 1 collide with.

  ■ meet by chance.

• 2 experience (a difficulty).

run off informal escape; abscond.
run something off

• 1 produce a copy on a machine.

• 2 write or recite something quickly and with little effort.

• 3 drain liquid from a container.

run on continue without stopping; go on longer than is expected.
run out

• 1 use up or be used up.

• 2 become no longer valid.

• 3 (of rope) be paid out.

• 4 extend; project.

run someone out Cricket dismiss a batsman by dislodging the bails with the ball while the batsman is still running.
run over

• 1 overflow.

• 2 exceed (a limit).

run someone/thing over knock down a person or animal in a vehicle.
run someone through stab a person so as to kill them.
run through (or over) go over quickly or briefly as a rehearsal or reminder.
run to

• 1 extend to or reach.

• 2 show a tendency towards.

run something up

• 1 allow a bill, score, etc. to accumulate.

• 2 make something quickly or hurriedly.

• 3 raise a flag.

run up against experience or meet (a difficulty).
run with proceed with; accept.

– derivatives
runnable adjective.