RUN DOWN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does run down mean? 

• RUN DOWN (verb)
  The verb RUN DOWN has 7 senses:

1. trace

2. move downward

3. injure or kill by knocking (someone or something) down and passing over the body, as with a vehicle

4. use up all one's strength and energy and stop working

5. examine hastily

6. deplete

7. pursue until captured

  Familiarity information: RUN DOWN used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RUN DOWN (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Trace

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

check out; run down

Context example:

We are running down a few tips

Hypernyms (to "run down" is one way to...):

act on; follow up on; pursue (carry further or advance)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move downward

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The water ran down

Hypernyms (to "run down" is one way to...):

course; feed; flow; run (move along, of liquids)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Injure or kill by knocking (someone or something) down and passing over the body, as with a vehicle

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

run down; run over

Hypernyms (to "run down" is one way to...):

injure; wound (cause injuries or bodily harm to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Use up all one's strength and energy and stop working

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

conk out; peter out; poop out; run down; run out

Context example:

At the end of the march, I pooped out

Hypernyms (to "run down" is one way to...):

fatigue; jade; pall; tire; weary (lose interest or become bored with something or somebody)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 5

Meaning:

Examine hastily

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

glance over; rake; run down; scan; skim

Context example:

She scanned the newspaper headlines while waiting for the taxi

Hypernyms (to "run down" is one way to...):

examine; see (observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 6

Meaning:

Deplete

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

exhaust; play out; run down; sap; tire

Context example:

We quickly played out our strength

Hypernyms (to "run down" is one way to...):

consume; deplete; eat; eat up; exhaust; run through; use up; wipe out (use up (resources or materials))

Verb group:

play out (become spent or exhausted)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Pursue until captured

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

They ran down the fugitive

Hypernyms (to "run down" is one way to...):

chase; chase after; dog; give chase; go after; tag; tail; track; trail (go after with the intent to catch)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

 Context examples 

Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father, and ask him how much he will give her.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Then I felt the burning tears run down my face, and it was steady again.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I’ll run down to Mr. Beddoes in Hampshire. He’ll be as glad to see me as you were, I daresay.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Run down, my dear fellow, and open the door, for all virtuous folk have been long in bed.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

To run down meat was to experience thrills and elations.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

He had been run down, and he had not had the strength to throw off the germ of disease which had invaded his system.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

She had, when she recovered, thrown open the window to let the morning air in, and had run down to the lane, whence she sent a farm-lad for the doctor.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I’ve run down from Chertsey, sir, just to shake you by the hand, and to make sure that the Tories have not carried you off.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"When they scratched against the tin it made a cold shiver run down my back. What is that little animal you are so tender of?"

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

"Amy will be in presently, and she will run down for us," suggested Meg.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)