R -Idioms
a race against time
- a rush to beat a deadline
It was a race against time to rescue the miners who were trapped in the mine.
rack one`s brains
- to try hard to think or remember something
I have been racking my brains all day trying to remember the man's name.
racked with pain
- to be suffering from severe pain
The man was racked with pain after he fell from the ladder.
rail at (someone) about (something)
- to complain loudly to someone about something
The customer was railing at the clerk about the bad service.
rain cats and dogs
- to rain very hard
It has been raining cats and dogs all morning.
a rain check
- a free ticket to an event that replaces a ticket that was cancelled because of rain or for some other reason
We received a rain check for the concert that was suddenly cancelled.
a rain check
- a promise to repeat an invitation at a later date
I did not have time to go to the restaurant with my friend so I decided to take a rain check.
rain on (someone's) parade
- to spoil someone's plans
I tried not to let my friend's bad mood rain on my parade during the concert.
rain or shine
- no matter whether it rains or the sun shines
We plan to go to the beach tomorrow rain or shine.
rain (something) out
- to spoil something by raining
The music festival was rained out yesterday evening.
raise Idioms raise a fuss
- to make trouble, to cause a disturbance
The woman at the restaurant raised a fuss when her meal arrived late.
raise a hand against (someone or something)
- to hit or threaten to hit someone or something
If the man raises a hand against his supervisor the police will be called.
raise a stink about (something)
- to make a major issue out of something
The small business owners began to raise a stink about the new parking tax.
raise an objection to (someone or something)
- to object to someone or something
My friend raised an objection about including my parents in our travel plans.
raise Cain
- to create a disturbance, to cause trouble
The boys began to raise Cain at the dance and were asked to leave.
raise eyebrows
- to cause surprise or disapproval
It raised eyebrows when the actress appeared at the party with no invitation.
raise havoc with (someone or something)
- to create confusion or disruption for or against someone or something
The bad weather raised havoc with our plans to clean up the area around our house.
raise hell with (someone or something)
- to make trouble, to behave wildly
The woman began to raise hell with her supervisor after she heard about the new policy.
raise one's sights
- to set higher goals for oneself
Our team is doing very well this year and we are now raising our sights on the city championship.
raise one's voice to (someone)
- to speak loudly or shout at someone in anger
The teacher asked the child not to raise his voice.
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to be raised in a barn
- to behave crudely like a barnyard animal
When the boy did not shut the door his mother asked him if he had been raised in a barn.
rake in the money
- to make a lot of money
My cousin's new pizza franchise has been raking in the money since it opened.
rake (someone) over the coals
- to scold/reprimand someone
My boss raked me over the coals when he heard about the lost sales report.
rake (something) off
- to take money from something illegally
The sales clerk was accused of raking money off of the daily cash sales.
rally around (someone or something)
- to come together to support someone or something
Everybody in the small town began to rally around the mayor when he was accused of wrongdoing.
ram (something) down (someone`s) throat
- to force someone to do or agree to something that is not wanted
Our teacher always tries to ram her ideas down our throats which makes us angry.
ramble on about (someone or something)
- to talk aimlessly and endlessly about someone or something
My friend spent the entire evening rambling on about his problems at work.
rank and file
- the members of a group and not the leaders, regular soldiers and not the officers
The rank and file of the large union were happy with their new contract.
rant and rave about (someone or something)
- to shout angrily and wildly about someone or something
The man was ranting and raving about the bad service at the restaurant.
rant (at someone) about (someone or something)
- to talk in a loud and violent way about someone or something
The customer was ranting at her friend while they were shopping for shoes.
rap (someone's) knuckles
- to punish someone slightly
The company rapped the man's knuckles for taking a long coffee break.
rap with (someone)
- to talk/chat with someone
I passed the morning rapping with my friend at the park.
raring/rarin' to go
- to be extremely eager to do something
Everybody was rarin' to go after the speech by our company president.
rat on (someone)
- to betray someone by telling someone else about illegal or wrong activities
The young boy ratted on his friend who broke the store window.
rat out on (someone)
- to desert or betray someone, to leave someone at a critical time
The boy's friend ratted out on him and refused to support him in his fight with the neighborhood bully.
rat race
- an endless hurried existence, a fierce struggle for success
The man sometimes finds it too much of a rat race to live and work in a big city.
rate with (someone)
- to be in someone's favor
I do not think that I rate with some of the students at my school.
rattle (something) off
- to recite something quickly and accurately
The little boy was able to rattle off most of the countries in the world.
ravished with delight
- to be overcome with happiness or delight
I was ravished with delight when I heard that my friend had decided to get married.
a raw deal
- unfair treatment
The man got a raw deal when he was forced to resign from his company.
reach a compromise
- to achieve a compromise with someone
The company tried very hard to reach a compromise with the workers.
reach an agreement
- to make an agreement
The city was not able to reach an agreement on where to build the new subway line.
reach an impasse
- to get to a point where progress is impossible
The negotiations on where to build the new bridge have reached an impasse.
reach first base with (someone or something)
- to make a major advance with someone or something
The salesperson was unable to reach first base with the large buyer.
reach for the sky
- to set one's goals high
The young woman was reaching for the sky when she began to look for her first job.
reach one's stride
- to do something at one's best level of ability
The woman has finally reached her stride as a very good sales representative.
read Idioms read between the lines
- to find a hidden meaning in something
I can read between the lines and I know what my friend was trying to say.
read (someone) his or her rights
- to make the required statement of legal rights to a person who has been arrested
The police officer read the bank robber his rights when he was arrested.
read (someone) like an open book
- to understand someone very well
The girl can read her boyfriend like an open book.
read (someone's) mind
- to guess what someone is thinking
It is very difficult to read the mind of my boss and know what she wants me to do.
read (something) into (something)
- to attach a new or different meaning to something
We were told not to read anything into the recent actions of our company.
read (something) over
- to read something
I read my presentation over before I had to deliver it to the class.
read (something) through
- to read all of something
I read the report through before I returned it to my supervisor.
read the handwriting on the wall
- to anticipate what is going to happen by observing small hints and clues
Everybody in our department could read the handwriting on the wall and knew that the company would soon close our department.
read the riot act (to someone)
- to give someone a strong warning or scolding
The teacher read the riot act to her students when they began to misbehave in class.
read up on (someone or something)
- to research and read about someone or something
I have been reading up on Egyptian history before our trip to Egypt this summer.
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ready, willing, and able
- to be eager or willing to do something
Everybody in the small village is ready, willing, and able to help the family who lost their house in the fire.
real McCoy
- the genuine thing
My new camera is the real McCoy and it will let me take any kind of picture that I want.
the real thing
- something that is genuine and not an imitation
The small vase is the real thing and is very valuable.
the reality of the situation
- the way that a situation really is
The reality of the situation is that it is very difficult to enter that university.
rear its ugly head
- something unpleasant appears or becomes obvious after being hidden
The problem of mold has reared its ugly head in our house again.
receive/welcome (someone) with open arms
- to greet someone eagerly
The citizens received the Olympic athletes with open arms.
reckon with (someone or something)
- to confront and deal with someone or something
I do not know how I will reckon with any more problems with our apartment manager.
recognize (someone or something) for what it/he/she is
- to see and understand exactly what someone or something is or represents
Everyone was able to recognize our new principal for what he is. He is a very difficult person to work with.
reconcile oneself to (something)
- to begin to feel comfortable with a bad or challenging situation
We have to reconcile ourselves to the fact that our school will close next year.
red herring
- something that draws attention away from the matter that is under consideration
The issue of salary is a red herring and is not related to the main issues of the negotiations.
red in the face
- to be embarrassed
The woman was red in the face after she dropped her keys down the elevator shaft.
red-letter day
- a day that is memorable because of some important event
Saturday was a red-letter day when we finally won the school championship.
red tape
- excessive formalities in official transactions
There was much red tape when we went to the city to get a business license.
reduced to (something)
- to be brought into a humble condition or state
The building was reduced to ashes after the terrible fire.
reel off (something)
- to recite something quickly and accurately
I tried hard to reel off all of the events of the past week.
refill a prescription
- to sell a second set of medicine on a doctor's orders
I went to the pharmacy to refill a prescription for my mother.
regain one's composure
- to become calm and composed
The woman took several hours to regain her composure after the fight with her husband.
regain one's feet
- to stand up again after falling or stumbling
My father quickly regained his feet after falling on the sidewalk.
regardless of (something)
- without considering something, at any rate
Regardless of the weather we are going to go fishing tomorrow morning.
regular as clockwork
- to be very dependable and regular
The bus comes by our house as regular as clockwork every morning.
a regular guy
- a friendly person who everyone gets along with
The mayor of the city is a regular guy and is well-liked by most people.
relative to (someone or something)
- in proportion to someone or something
The house was not very large relative to the amount of money that it cost.
reliance on (someone or something)
- trust and dependence on someone or something
I think that my father has too much reliance on his business partner and it is causing him problems.
religious about (doing something)
- to be strict about doing something
My father is religious about brushing his teeth before he goes to bed every night.
reluctant to (do something)
- to not want to do something
The surgeon was reluctant to operate on the young boy before he was sure that it was necessary.
to be reminiscent of (someone or something)
- to remind someone of someone or something, to seem like someone or something
The music festival is reminiscent of the large music festivals of fifty years ago.
reputed to be/do something
- to be thought to do/be/have something
The new police chief is reputed to be one of the best police chiefs in the country.
resign oneself to something
- to accept something reluctantly
I have to resign myself to the fact that I will probably not get the job that I want.
resonate with (someone)
- to appeal to someone or cause someone to like something
The idea of a film festival resonated with most members of the community.
the responsible party
- the person or organization responsible or liable for something
The responsible party for the accident was taken away by the police for questioning.
rest assured
- to be assured, to be certain
"You can rest assured that I will be at work early every morning this week."
rest in peace
- to lie dead peacefully for eternity
We prayed that my aunt would rest in peace after she recently passed away.
rest on one`s laurels
- to be satisfied with the success that one has already achieved
My boss is always willing to work hard and is not the type of person to rest on his laurels.
result in (something)
- to cause something to happen
The bad road conditions resulted in many small accidents this morning.
return the compliment
- to pay a compliment to someone who has paid you a compliment
I returned the compliment to my colleague who began to praise my work.
return the favor
- to do a good deed for someone who has done a good deed for you
I returned the favor to my friend who had recently helped me to move from my apartment.
rev (something) up
- to make an engine run very fast
The young man began to rev the motor of his car up while he was waiting for his friend.
rhyme or reason
- a good plan or reason, a reasonable purpose or explanation (usually used in negative/interrogative/conditional sentences)
There was no rhyme or reason as to why my friend suddenly decided to quit his job.
rich in (something)
- to have valuable resources/characteristics/traditions/history
Many vegetables are rich in important vitamins.
ride herd on (someone)
- to watch closely and control someone
The new supervisor likes to ride herd on the people who work for him.
ride off in all directions
- to try to do everything at once, to behave in a totally confused manner
After the meeting everyone seemed to ride off in all directions and we did not know where anyone was going.
ride on (someone's) coattails
- to have one's fortune or success depend on another person
The sales manager was riding on the coattails of his boss and hoped to achieve success in the company.
ride roughshod over (someone or something)
- to treat someone or something with disdain or scorn
The new teacher is riding roughshod over the wants and needs of the students.
ride (something) out
- to endure something unpleasant, to survive something safely
We were able to ride out the bad storm by staying in a small restaurant.
ride the gravy train
- to exploit something for easy profit or advantage, to experience excessive success or profit without deserving it
We have been able to ride the gravy train and make a lot of money at our job recently.
riding for a fall
- to be risking failure or an accident due to overconfidence
My friend is riding for a fall if he continues his present attitude at his job.
riding high
- to be attracting attention, to be enjoying great popularity
The new government has been riding high in the opinion polls for several months now.
right Idioms right and left
- on both sides, on all sides, everywhere
The child looked right and left before he crossed the road.
right as rain
- to be correct, to be genuine
The figures that I gave to my supervisor are as right as rain.
right at (a specific time/place)
- to be exactly at a specific time/place
The concert started right at 9:00 PM.
right away
- immediately
"I forgot to bring my book but I will go home and get it right away."
right down/up (someone's) alley
- to be ideally suited to someone's interests or abilities
The homepage development project was right down my alley and I was very happy to do it.
right off the bat
- immediately, from the beginning
I told my boss right off the bat that we did not need a new computer for the office.
right on
- that`s right, yes (indicates approval for something)
The man yelled "right on" every time the politician promised a new program to lower taxes.
right on time
- to be exactly at the correct time
The train arrived at the station right on time.
right out
- to say or tell something plainly or in a way that hides nothing
I told the new supervisor right out that I did not like him.
right side up
- with the correct side upwards
The bus drove off the highway and rolled over but it landed right side up when it stopped.
right under one`s nose
- to be in an obvious or nearby place
I found the calculator right under my nose after searching for it for an hour.
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ring a bell
- to remind someone of something
The name does not ring a bell and I am sure that I have never heard of the man.
ring down the curtain on (something)
- to bring something to an end
The famous singer rang down the curtain on an evening of wonderful music.
ring in the New Year
- to celebrate the beginning of the new year
We decided to ring in the New Year at a party at my parent's house.
ring true
- to sound or seem true or likely
The predictions by the scientists are beginning to ring true.
ring up (someone)
- to telephone someone
You should ring up the police if you see a strange person around your house.
ring up (something)
- to add and record a sale on a cash register
I went to the cash register so the clerk could ring up the items that I had bought.
rip into (someone or something)
- to attack someone or something physically or verbally
My mother ripped into me when I came home late from the party.
rip off (someone or something)
- to cheat/rob someone or something
I was ripped off by the mechanic at the gas station.
ripe old age
- a very old age
My uncle was able to live to a ripe old age.
a ripple of excitement
- a series of quiet but excited whispers
There was a ripple of excitement in the concert hall when the singer walked onto the stage.
a ripple of protest
- a small amount of quiet protest
There was only a ripple of protest when the government raised the gasoline tax.
Rise and shine!
- Get out of bed and begin the day!
"Rise and shine!" my father called to me in the morning.
rise to the bait
- to be lured by some kind of bait/enticement
My friend rose to the bait when I offered to help him if he would help me to do something much more difficult.
rise to the occasion
- to meet the challenge of something
Our teacher rose to the occasion and was able to give a very good speech at the banquet.
a risk of rain/showers/thunderstorms
- a chance of rain/showers/thunderstorms
There was a risk of showers so we decided not to go on a picnic today.
risk one's neck to (do something)
- to risk physical harm in order to do something
I risked my neck in order to rescue the cat that was on the roof.
rivet (someone's) attention
- to keep someone's attention fixed on something
The man on the side of the tall building riveted our attention as he continued to climb up.
a road-hog
- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road
My father became angry at the road-hog who was in front of our car.
rob Peter to pay Paul
- to take from one person or thing to pay another
When the government began to take money from the education system to pay for the medical system it was like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
rob the cradle
- to marry a person much younger than oneself
People said that my boss was robbing the cradle when he married the young woman at our company.
rock the boat
- to upset the way things are
The woman is a very quiet worker and never likes to rock the boat at work.
roll around
- to return at a regular or usual time, to come back
Every time that his birthday rolls around he has a big party.
roll back (a price)
- to reduce a price to a previous amount
The prices at the computer store were rolled back during the big sale.
roll in
- to arrive in great numbers or quantity
The money has been rolling in since we started the new franchise.
roll out the red carpet
- to welcome an important guest by putting a red carpet down for him or her to walk on
They rolled out the red carpet when the Queen came for a visit.
roll out the red carpet
- to make a big effort to greet and entertain someone
Whenever I visit my aunt she rolls out the red carpet for me.
roll up one`s sleeves
- to prepare to work hard or seriously at something
Everybody in our club rolled up their sleeves to help prepare for the party.
to be rolling in (something)
- to have large amounts of something (usually money)
My friend is rolling in money and never has to work.
a rolling stone
- a person who does not live or work in one place
The man is a rolling stone and I never know where to find him.
room and board
- food to eat and a place to live
The young man received room and board as part of his salary at the restaurant.
root for (someone or something)
- to cheer and encourage someone or something
I have been rooting for our hometown team since I was a child.
root (something) out
- to get rid of something completely
The new city government is trying to root out the wasteful practices of the previous government.
rooted in (something)
- to be based on something
The popularity of the politician is rooted in his strong moral values and honesty.
rooted to the spot
- to be unable to move because of fear or surprise
The boy was rooted to the spot as he watched the dog attack the rabbit.
rope (someone) into (doing something)
- to persuade or pressure someone to do something
I did not want to help with the dinner but I was roped into helping by my best friend.
rotten to the core
- to be completely no good and worthless
The local government was rotten to the core and everyone was happy when they were voted out of office.
rough-and-ready
- to be rough or crude but to be ready for something
The boat was rough-and-ready so we decided to take it for a ride.
rough-and-tumble
- to be rough, a hard fighting or arguing style that does not follow any rules or laws
It was a rough-and-tumble meeting at the city planning office last night.
a rough guess
- an approximate estimate/guess
I made a rough guess about how many people would come to the party.
rough it
- to live in uncomfortable conditions without the usual comforts (such as on a camping trip)
We were forced to rough it for a few days when the storm knocked out the electricity supply.
rough up (someone)
- to attack or hurt someone physically
The three men roughed up the waiter at the hotel and were arrested by the police.
round Idioms round off (something)
- to change a number to the next higher or lower whole number
We rounded off the figure as it was much too big.
round out (something)
- to finish something by doing something special
We rounded out the celebration with a meal in a restaurant.
round-robin letter
- a letter written by a group of people with each person writing part of the letter
We sent a round-robin letter to the other members of the staff to try and get help for the annual flea market.
round-robin meeting/discussion/debate
- a meeting or discussion in which each person in a group takes part
We had a round-robin panel discussion on what we could do to help protect the environment.
round-robin tournament/contest
- a game or contest in which each player or team plays every other player or team in turn
A round-robin tournament was held in order to choose the best team in the city.
round-trip ticket
- a train/bus/plane ticket that allows one to go to the destination and return home
We purchased a round-trip ticket because it was cheaper than a one-way ticket.
round up (someone or something)
- to bring together or collect someone or something
We were able to round up enough people to play a game of soccer last night.
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royal treatment
- very good treatment
My parents received the royal treatment when they went to visit their relatives.
rub Idioms rub elbows/shoulders with (someone)
- to be in the same place as other people, to meet and mix with other people
At the party we were able to rub shoulders with many important people.
rub off on (someone)
- to transmit a characteristic of one person to someone else
The woman's habit of talking all the time has rubbed off on her friend as well.
rub out (someone or something)
- to destroy something completely, to kill/eliminate someone
The government troops rubbed out the entire village.
rub salt in (someone's) wound
- to deliberately make someone's unhappiness/shame/misfortune worse
My supervisor rubbed salt in my wound when he continued to criticize me for my mistake.
rub (someone's) nose in it
- to remind someone of something that he or she has done wrong
Our supervisor always likes to rub our nose in it if we make a mistake.
rub (someone) the wrong way
- to irritate others with something that one says or does
The woman's rude behavior always rubs me the wrong way.
rub (something) in
- to talk or joke about something that someone said or did
"I know that I made a mistake but you should not rub it in."
rub (something) off
- to remove or to be removed by rubbing, to erase something
The teacher rubbed off the writing on the whiteboard.
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ruffle feathers
- to point feathers outward (used for a bird)
The bird ruffled its feathers as the cat approached the cage.
ruffle (someone's) feathers
- to upset or annoy someone
I do not want to ruffle my friend's feathers as he is in a bad mood today.
ruin of (someone or something)
- the cause of someone's destruction/failure
I think that the poor business skills of my uncle will be the ruin of him.
a rule of thumb
- a basic or accepted pattern or rule
It is a rule of thumb in the fire department that nobody goes into a burning building by themselves.
rule out (someone or something)
- to decide against or eliminate someone or something
They still have not ruled out using the new player during the tournament.
rule the roost
- to be the dominant figure in a family
The woman seems rather quiet but she rules the roost in her family.
rump session
- a meeting held after a larger meeting
After the convention I attended a rump session which was very interesting.
run Idioms run a fever/temperature
- to have a body temperature higher than normal
The little boy was running a fever so his parents decided to call the doctor.
run a risk of (something)
- to be open to danger or loss
You run a risk of going to jail if you drive after drinking.
run a tight ship
- to run an organization/one's life/a ship in an orderly and disciplined manner
My friend runs a tight ship and makes few mistakes in his life.
run afoul of (someone or something)
- to get into trouble with someone or something
The young man ran afoul of the law and got into much trouble.
run after (someone) or (something)
- to chase someone
The young boys were running after the small dog.
run an errand
- to take a short trip to do a specific thing
I was late for work because I had to run an errand in the morning.
run around
- to go to various places to do things
We ran around all day and now we are very tired.
run around in circles
- to act confused, to do a lot but accomplish little
I have been running around in circles all day but I can`t seem to get anything done.
run around like a chicken with its head cut off
- to be in a state of chaos, to run around with what seems to be no purpose
I spent the morning running around like a chicken with its head cut off when I heard that my mother was in the hospital.
run around with (someone)
- to be friends and do things with someone or with a group
My cousin's son is running around with a bad group of people.
run away with (someone)
- to go away with someone, to elope with someone
The girl ran away with her boyfriend and got married.
run away with (someone)
- to take hold of someone
Their imagination ran away with the boys when they went to the circus and then decided that they wanted to join the circus.
run away with (something)
- to take something quickly and secretly without permission or by stealing
Someone ran away with the new computer so now we do not have one.
run away with (something)
- to be much better than others, to win easily
Our hometown team ran away with the football championship.
run circles/rings around (someone)
- to outrun/outdo someone
The young boy is able to run circles around the others in his school.
run counter to (something)
- to be in opposition to something
The actions of the manager run counter to what he has always said that he believes.
run down (someone or something)
- to crash against and knock down someone or something
A car ran down my dog last week.
run down (someone)
- to say bad things about someone, to criticize someone
The girl is always running down her friends. That is why nobody likes her.
to be run down
- to get into poor health or condition, to look bad
My friend has become run down since she started working at night.
run for it
- to dash for safety, to make a speedy escape
When it started raining we ran for it and tried to get to the bus shelter.
run for one's life
- to run away to save one's life
I ran for my life when I met the bear on the camping trip.
run hot and cold
- to be sometimes good/useful/effective/positive and sometimes the opposite
The reviews of the new movie are running hot and cold and I do not know if I will go to see it.
run in (somewhere)
- to make a brief visit or stop somewhere
I ran in to see my sister at her office before I left for the weekend.
run in the family
- to be a common family characteristic
Being a left-handed golfer runs in our family.
run into a brick wall
- to come to a barrier against further progress
I run into a brick wall whenever I try to talk to my boss about a problem at work.
run into (someone)
- to meet someone by chance
I ran into my cousin when I was at the supermarket.
run into (someone or something)
- to hit someone or something, to crash into someone or something
The car ran into the truck on the highway.
run into (something)
- to add up to something, to total something
If you decide to stay in expensive hotels during your holiday it will run into a lot of money.
run into (something)
- to mix with something, to join with something
During the hot weather the red paint ran into the white paint.
run into (something - a fact/difficulty/problems/trouble)
- to experience something, to encounter something
I ran into trouble when I tried to cross the border with no visa.
I ran into several facts about dinosaurs last night.
run like clockwork
- to run or progress very well
The new production system runs like clockwork.
run low on (something)
- to near the end of a supply of something
We are running low on rice so I must buy some soon.
run-of-the-mill
- ordinary, usual
The restaurant was in a run-of-the-mill building but the food was superb.
run off at the mouth
- to talk excessively
My classmate is always running off at the mouth about something.
run off copies of (something)
- to produce copies with a printing press or a copy machine
We ran off many copies of the poster for the festival.
run off with (someone)
- to go away with someone, to elope with someone
My sister ran off with her boyfriend and got married when she was quite young.
run out of patience
- to become annoyed after being patient for a period of time
The mother has run out of patience with her son.
run out of (something)
- to use all of something
The car ran out of gas in the countryside.
run out of time
- to use up all the available time
We ran out of time at the meeting so we could not discuss the staffing issue.
run over (someone or something)
- to drive on top of someone or something
We ran over a rabbit on the way to the meeting.
run over (something)
- to be too full and flow over the edge
The water ran over the edge of the bathtub and got everything in the room wet.
run over (something)
- to read/go over something quickly, to practice something briefly
We plan to run over the material before the meeting.
run ragged
- to be tired or exhausted
The woman is being run ragged by her three children.
run rampant
- to run or grow out of control
The use of illegal taxis is running rampant in our city.
run riot/wild
- to go out of control
The soccer fans ran riot after the game.
run scared
- to behave as if one were going to fail/lose
The politician has been running scared in his attempt to win re-election.
run short of (something)
- to not have enough of something
We ran short of money during our trip to Europe.
run (someone) in
- to take someone to jail, to arrest someone
The police ran the man in for questioning about the robbery.
run (someone) out
- to force someone to leave, to expel someone
The police ran the drug dealers out of town.
run (something) by (someone) again
- to say something again
I asked my colleague to run his ideas by me again.
run (something) into the ground
- to use something more than is wanted or needed, to neglect something
He ran his car into the ground and had to buy another one.
run the gauntlet
- to face a hard test or painful experience
I had to run the gauntlet of many interviews before I got the job.
run the good race
- to do the best that one can
The politician ran the good race but in the end he lost the election.
run through (money or something)
- to spend money recklessly, to use up something wastefully
We ran through a lot of money when we bought furniture for our new apartment.
run through (something)
- to read or practice something from the beginning to the end without stopping
I usually try to run through my speech a couple of times before I have to give it.
run to (an amount of money)
- to amount to a certain amount of money
The cost of repairing my car may run to more money than I can pay.
run/go to seed
- to become worn-out and uncared for
The small store has run to seed and few people like to go there now.
run up
- to add to the amount of something
We ran up a large bill at the department store before we went home.
run up (something)
- to pull something up on a rope
We ran up the flag early this morning before the parade began.
run up against (something)
- to encounter something
The city ran up against many problems when they were building the freeway.
run wild
- to be or go out of control
The crowd ran wild after the soccer game.
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to be running high
- to have one's feelings in a state of excitement or anger
Feelings about the train accident are running high and the government must give an explanation about what happened.
a rush on (something)
- a large demand for something
There was a rush on candles after the electricity went off for three days.
Russian roulette
- a game of chance in which one bullet is placed in a revolver and the cartridge is spun and the player aims the gun at his head and pulls the trigger
The men in the movie played Russian roulette until one of them finally died.
Russian roulette
- a potentially dangerous situation
Putting the dangerous chemicals on the old ship was like playing a game of Russian roulette. rustle (something) up
- to find and prepare some food etc.
We went home after the game and began to rustle up some dinner.
- a rush to beat a deadline
It was a race against time to rescue the miners who were trapped in the mine.
rack one`s brains
- to try hard to think or remember something
I have been racking my brains all day trying to remember the man's name.
racked with pain
- to be suffering from severe pain
The man was racked with pain after he fell from the ladder.
rail at (someone) about (something)
- to complain loudly to someone about something
The customer was railing at the clerk about the bad service.
rain cats and dogs
- to rain very hard
It has been raining cats and dogs all morning.
a rain check
- a free ticket to an event that replaces a ticket that was cancelled because of rain or for some other reason
We received a rain check for the concert that was suddenly cancelled.
a rain check
- a promise to repeat an invitation at a later date
I did not have time to go to the restaurant with my friend so I decided to take a rain check.
rain on (someone's) parade
- to spoil someone's plans
I tried not to let my friend's bad mood rain on my parade during the concert.
rain or shine
- no matter whether it rains or the sun shines
We plan to go to the beach tomorrow rain or shine.
rain (something) out
- to spoil something by raining
The music festival was rained out yesterday evening.
raise Idioms raise a fuss
- to make trouble, to cause a disturbance
The woman at the restaurant raised a fuss when her meal arrived late.
raise a hand against (someone or something)
- to hit or threaten to hit someone or something
If the man raises a hand against his supervisor the police will be called.
raise a stink about (something)
- to make a major issue out of something
The small business owners began to raise a stink about the new parking tax.
raise an objection to (someone or something)
- to object to someone or something
My friend raised an objection about including my parents in our travel plans.
raise Cain
- to create a disturbance, to cause trouble
The boys began to raise Cain at the dance and were asked to leave.
raise eyebrows
- to cause surprise or disapproval
It raised eyebrows when the actress appeared at the party with no invitation.
raise havoc with (someone or something)
- to create confusion or disruption for or against someone or something
The bad weather raised havoc with our plans to clean up the area around our house.
raise hell with (someone or something)
- to make trouble, to behave wildly
The woman began to raise hell with her supervisor after she heard about the new policy.
raise one's sights
- to set higher goals for oneself
Our team is doing very well this year and we are now raising our sights on the city championship.
raise one's voice to (someone)
- to speak loudly or shout at someone in anger
The teacher asked the child not to raise his voice.
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to be raised in a barn
- to behave crudely like a barnyard animal
When the boy did not shut the door his mother asked him if he had been raised in a barn.
rake in the money
- to make a lot of money
My cousin's new pizza franchise has been raking in the money since it opened.
rake (someone) over the coals
- to scold/reprimand someone
My boss raked me over the coals when he heard about the lost sales report.
rake (something) off
- to take money from something illegally
The sales clerk was accused of raking money off of the daily cash sales.
rally around (someone or something)
- to come together to support someone or something
Everybody in the small town began to rally around the mayor when he was accused of wrongdoing.
ram (something) down (someone`s) throat
- to force someone to do or agree to something that is not wanted
Our teacher always tries to ram her ideas down our throats which makes us angry.
ramble on about (someone or something)
- to talk aimlessly and endlessly about someone or something
My friend spent the entire evening rambling on about his problems at work.
rank and file
- the members of a group and not the leaders, regular soldiers and not the officers
The rank and file of the large union were happy with their new contract.
rant and rave about (someone or something)
- to shout angrily and wildly about someone or something
The man was ranting and raving about the bad service at the restaurant.
rant (at someone) about (someone or something)
- to talk in a loud and violent way about someone or something
The customer was ranting at her friend while they were shopping for shoes.
rap (someone's) knuckles
- to punish someone slightly
The company rapped the man's knuckles for taking a long coffee break.
rap with (someone)
- to talk/chat with someone
I passed the morning rapping with my friend at the park.
raring/rarin' to go
- to be extremely eager to do something
Everybody was rarin' to go after the speech by our company president.
rat on (someone)
- to betray someone by telling someone else about illegal or wrong activities
The young boy ratted on his friend who broke the store window.
rat out on (someone)
- to desert or betray someone, to leave someone at a critical time
The boy's friend ratted out on him and refused to support him in his fight with the neighborhood bully.
rat race
- an endless hurried existence, a fierce struggle for success
The man sometimes finds it too much of a rat race to live and work in a big city.
rate with (someone)
- to be in someone's favor
I do not think that I rate with some of the students at my school.
rattle (something) off
- to recite something quickly and accurately
The little boy was able to rattle off most of the countries in the world.
ravished with delight
- to be overcome with happiness or delight
I was ravished with delight when I heard that my friend had decided to get married.
a raw deal
- unfair treatment
The man got a raw deal when he was forced to resign from his company.
reach a compromise
- to achieve a compromise with someone
The company tried very hard to reach a compromise with the workers.
reach an agreement
- to make an agreement
The city was not able to reach an agreement on where to build the new subway line.
reach an impasse
- to get to a point where progress is impossible
The negotiations on where to build the new bridge have reached an impasse.
reach first base with (someone or something)
- to make a major advance with someone or something
The salesperson was unable to reach first base with the large buyer.
reach for the sky
- to set one's goals high
The young woman was reaching for the sky when she began to look for her first job.
reach one's stride
- to do something at one's best level of ability
The woman has finally reached her stride as a very good sales representative.
read Idioms read between the lines
- to find a hidden meaning in something
I can read between the lines and I know what my friend was trying to say.
read (someone) his or her rights
- to make the required statement of legal rights to a person who has been arrested
The police officer read the bank robber his rights when he was arrested.
read (someone) like an open book
- to understand someone very well
The girl can read her boyfriend like an open book.
read (someone's) mind
- to guess what someone is thinking
It is very difficult to read the mind of my boss and know what she wants me to do.
read (something) into (something)
- to attach a new or different meaning to something
We were told not to read anything into the recent actions of our company.
read (something) over
- to read something
I read my presentation over before I had to deliver it to the class.
read (something) through
- to read all of something
I read the report through before I returned it to my supervisor.
read the handwriting on the wall
- to anticipate what is going to happen by observing small hints and clues
Everybody in our department could read the handwriting on the wall and knew that the company would soon close our department.
read the riot act (to someone)
- to give someone a strong warning or scolding
The teacher read the riot act to her students when they began to misbehave in class.
read up on (someone or something)
- to research and read about someone or something
I have been reading up on Egyptian history before our trip to Egypt this summer.
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ready, willing, and able
- to be eager or willing to do something
Everybody in the small village is ready, willing, and able to help the family who lost their house in the fire.
real McCoy
- the genuine thing
My new camera is the real McCoy and it will let me take any kind of picture that I want.
the real thing
- something that is genuine and not an imitation
The small vase is the real thing and is very valuable.
the reality of the situation
- the way that a situation really is
The reality of the situation is that it is very difficult to enter that university.
rear its ugly head
- something unpleasant appears or becomes obvious after being hidden
The problem of mold has reared its ugly head in our house again.
receive/welcome (someone) with open arms
- to greet someone eagerly
The citizens received the Olympic athletes with open arms.
reckon with (someone or something)
- to confront and deal with someone or something
I do not know how I will reckon with any more problems with our apartment manager.
recognize (someone or something) for what it/he/she is
- to see and understand exactly what someone or something is or represents
Everyone was able to recognize our new principal for what he is. He is a very difficult person to work with.
reconcile oneself to (something)
- to begin to feel comfortable with a bad or challenging situation
We have to reconcile ourselves to the fact that our school will close next year.
red herring
- something that draws attention away from the matter that is under consideration
The issue of salary is a red herring and is not related to the main issues of the negotiations.
red in the face
- to be embarrassed
The woman was red in the face after she dropped her keys down the elevator shaft.
red-letter day
- a day that is memorable because of some important event
Saturday was a red-letter day when we finally won the school championship.
red tape
- excessive formalities in official transactions
There was much red tape when we went to the city to get a business license.
reduced to (something)
- to be brought into a humble condition or state
The building was reduced to ashes after the terrible fire.
reel off (something)
- to recite something quickly and accurately
I tried hard to reel off all of the events of the past week.
refill a prescription
- to sell a second set of medicine on a doctor's orders
I went to the pharmacy to refill a prescription for my mother.
regain one's composure
- to become calm and composed
The woman took several hours to regain her composure after the fight with her husband.
regain one's feet
- to stand up again after falling or stumbling
My father quickly regained his feet after falling on the sidewalk.
regardless of (something)
- without considering something, at any rate
Regardless of the weather we are going to go fishing tomorrow morning.
regular as clockwork
- to be very dependable and regular
The bus comes by our house as regular as clockwork every morning.
a regular guy
- a friendly person who everyone gets along with
The mayor of the city is a regular guy and is well-liked by most people.
relative to (someone or something)
- in proportion to someone or something
The house was not very large relative to the amount of money that it cost.
reliance on (someone or something)
- trust and dependence on someone or something
I think that my father has too much reliance on his business partner and it is causing him problems.
religious about (doing something)
- to be strict about doing something
My father is religious about brushing his teeth before he goes to bed every night.
reluctant to (do something)
- to not want to do something
The surgeon was reluctant to operate on the young boy before he was sure that it was necessary.
to be reminiscent of (someone or something)
- to remind someone of someone or something, to seem like someone or something
The music festival is reminiscent of the large music festivals of fifty years ago.
reputed to be/do something
- to be thought to do/be/have something
The new police chief is reputed to be one of the best police chiefs in the country.
resign oneself to something
- to accept something reluctantly
I have to resign myself to the fact that I will probably not get the job that I want.
resonate with (someone)
- to appeal to someone or cause someone to like something
The idea of a film festival resonated with most members of the community.
the responsible party
- the person or organization responsible or liable for something
The responsible party for the accident was taken away by the police for questioning.
rest assured
- to be assured, to be certain
"You can rest assured that I will be at work early every morning this week."
rest in peace
- to lie dead peacefully for eternity
We prayed that my aunt would rest in peace after she recently passed away.
rest on one`s laurels
- to be satisfied with the success that one has already achieved
My boss is always willing to work hard and is not the type of person to rest on his laurels.
result in (something)
- to cause something to happen
The bad road conditions resulted in many small accidents this morning.
return the compliment
- to pay a compliment to someone who has paid you a compliment
I returned the compliment to my colleague who began to praise my work.
return the favor
- to do a good deed for someone who has done a good deed for you
I returned the favor to my friend who had recently helped me to move from my apartment.
rev (something) up
- to make an engine run very fast
The young man began to rev the motor of his car up while he was waiting for his friend.
rhyme or reason
- a good plan or reason, a reasonable purpose or explanation (usually used in negative/interrogative/conditional sentences)
There was no rhyme or reason as to why my friend suddenly decided to quit his job.
rich in (something)
- to have valuable resources/characteristics/traditions/history
Many vegetables are rich in important vitamins.
ride herd on (someone)
- to watch closely and control someone
The new supervisor likes to ride herd on the people who work for him.
ride off in all directions
- to try to do everything at once, to behave in a totally confused manner
After the meeting everyone seemed to ride off in all directions and we did not know where anyone was going.
ride on (someone's) coattails
- to have one's fortune or success depend on another person
The sales manager was riding on the coattails of his boss and hoped to achieve success in the company.
ride roughshod over (someone or something)
- to treat someone or something with disdain or scorn
The new teacher is riding roughshod over the wants and needs of the students.
ride (something) out
- to endure something unpleasant, to survive something safely
We were able to ride out the bad storm by staying in a small restaurant.
ride the gravy train
- to exploit something for easy profit or advantage, to experience excessive success or profit without deserving it
We have been able to ride the gravy train and make a lot of money at our job recently.
riding for a fall
- to be risking failure or an accident due to overconfidence
My friend is riding for a fall if he continues his present attitude at his job.
riding high
- to be attracting attention, to be enjoying great popularity
The new government has been riding high in the opinion polls for several months now.
right Idioms right and left
- on both sides, on all sides, everywhere
The child looked right and left before he crossed the road.
right as rain
- to be correct, to be genuine
The figures that I gave to my supervisor are as right as rain.
right at (a specific time/place)
- to be exactly at a specific time/place
The concert started right at 9:00 PM.
right away
- immediately
"I forgot to bring my book but I will go home and get it right away."
right down/up (someone's) alley
- to be ideally suited to someone's interests or abilities
The homepage development project was right down my alley and I was very happy to do it.
right off the bat
- immediately, from the beginning
I told my boss right off the bat that we did not need a new computer for the office.
right on
- that`s right, yes (indicates approval for something)
The man yelled "right on" every time the politician promised a new program to lower taxes.
right on time
- to be exactly at the correct time
The train arrived at the station right on time.
right out
- to say or tell something plainly or in a way that hides nothing
I told the new supervisor right out that I did not like him.
right side up
- with the correct side upwards
The bus drove off the highway and rolled over but it landed right side up when it stopped.
right under one`s nose
- to be in an obvious or nearby place
I found the calculator right under my nose after searching for it for an hour.
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ring a bell
- to remind someone of something
The name does not ring a bell and I am sure that I have never heard of the man.
ring down the curtain on (something)
- to bring something to an end
The famous singer rang down the curtain on an evening of wonderful music.
ring in the New Year
- to celebrate the beginning of the new year
We decided to ring in the New Year at a party at my parent's house.
ring true
- to sound or seem true or likely
The predictions by the scientists are beginning to ring true.
ring up (someone)
- to telephone someone
You should ring up the police if you see a strange person around your house.
ring up (something)
- to add and record a sale on a cash register
I went to the cash register so the clerk could ring up the items that I had bought.
rip into (someone or something)
- to attack someone or something physically or verbally
My mother ripped into me when I came home late from the party.
rip off (someone or something)
- to cheat/rob someone or something
I was ripped off by the mechanic at the gas station.
ripe old age
- a very old age
My uncle was able to live to a ripe old age.
a ripple of excitement
- a series of quiet but excited whispers
There was a ripple of excitement in the concert hall when the singer walked onto the stage.
a ripple of protest
- a small amount of quiet protest
There was only a ripple of protest when the government raised the gasoline tax.
Rise and shine!
- Get out of bed and begin the day!
"Rise and shine!" my father called to me in the morning.
rise to the bait
- to be lured by some kind of bait/enticement
My friend rose to the bait when I offered to help him if he would help me to do something much more difficult.
rise to the occasion
- to meet the challenge of something
Our teacher rose to the occasion and was able to give a very good speech at the banquet.
a risk of rain/showers/thunderstorms
- a chance of rain/showers/thunderstorms
There was a risk of showers so we decided not to go on a picnic today.
risk one's neck to (do something)
- to risk physical harm in order to do something
I risked my neck in order to rescue the cat that was on the roof.
rivet (someone's) attention
- to keep someone's attention fixed on something
The man on the side of the tall building riveted our attention as he continued to climb up.
a road-hog
- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road
My father became angry at the road-hog who was in front of our car.
rob Peter to pay Paul
- to take from one person or thing to pay another
When the government began to take money from the education system to pay for the medical system it was like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
rob the cradle
- to marry a person much younger than oneself
People said that my boss was robbing the cradle when he married the young woman at our company.
rock the boat
- to upset the way things are
The woman is a very quiet worker and never likes to rock the boat at work.
roll around
- to return at a regular or usual time, to come back
Every time that his birthday rolls around he has a big party.
roll back (a price)
- to reduce a price to a previous amount
The prices at the computer store were rolled back during the big sale.
roll in
- to arrive in great numbers or quantity
The money has been rolling in since we started the new franchise.
roll out the red carpet
- to welcome an important guest by putting a red carpet down for him or her to walk on
They rolled out the red carpet when the Queen came for a visit.
roll out the red carpet
- to make a big effort to greet and entertain someone
Whenever I visit my aunt she rolls out the red carpet for me.
roll up one`s sleeves
- to prepare to work hard or seriously at something
Everybody in our club rolled up their sleeves to help prepare for the party.
to be rolling in (something)
- to have large amounts of something (usually money)
My friend is rolling in money and never has to work.
a rolling stone
- a person who does not live or work in one place
The man is a rolling stone and I never know where to find him.
room and board
- food to eat and a place to live
The young man received room and board as part of his salary at the restaurant.
root for (someone or something)
- to cheer and encourage someone or something
I have been rooting for our hometown team since I was a child.
root (something) out
- to get rid of something completely
The new city government is trying to root out the wasteful practices of the previous government.
rooted in (something)
- to be based on something
The popularity of the politician is rooted in his strong moral values and honesty.
rooted to the spot
- to be unable to move because of fear or surprise
The boy was rooted to the spot as he watched the dog attack the rabbit.
rope (someone) into (doing something)
- to persuade or pressure someone to do something
I did not want to help with the dinner but I was roped into helping by my best friend.
rotten to the core
- to be completely no good and worthless
The local government was rotten to the core and everyone was happy when they were voted out of office.
rough-and-ready
- to be rough or crude but to be ready for something
The boat was rough-and-ready so we decided to take it for a ride.
rough-and-tumble
- to be rough, a hard fighting or arguing style that does not follow any rules or laws
It was a rough-and-tumble meeting at the city planning office last night.
a rough guess
- an approximate estimate/guess
I made a rough guess about how many people would come to the party.
rough it
- to live in uncomfortable conditions without the usual comforts (such as on a camping trip)
We were forced to rough it for a few days when the storm knocked out the electricity supply.
rough up (someone)
- to attack or hurt someone physically
The three men roughed up the waiter at the hotel and were arrested by the police.
round Idioms round off (something)
- to change a number to the next higher or lower whole number
We rounded off the figure as it was much too big.
round out (something)
- to finish something by doing something special
We rounded out the celebration with a meal in a restaurant.
round-robin letter
- a letter written by a group of people with each person writing part of the letter
We sent a round-robin letter to the other members of the staff to try and get help for the annual flea market.
round-robin meeting/discussion/debate
- a meeting or discussion in which each person in a group takes part
We had a round-robin panel discussion on what we could do to help protect the environment.
round-robin tournament/contest
- a game or contest in which each player or team plays every other player or team in turn
A round-robin tournament was held in order to choose the best team in the city.
round-trip ticket
- a train/bus/plane ticket that allows one to go to the destination and return home
We purchased a round-trip ticket because it was cheaper than a one-way ticket.
round up (someone or something)
- to bring together or collect someone or something
We were able to round up enough people to play a game of soccer last night.
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royal treatment
- very good treatment
My parents received the royal treatment when they went to visit their relatives.
rub Idioms rub elbows/shoulders with (someone)
- to be in the same place as other people, to meet and mix with other people
At the party we were able to rub shoulders with many important people.
rub off on (someone)
- to transmit a characteristic of one person to someone else
The woman's habit of talking all the time has rubbed off on her friend as well.
rub out (someone or something)
- to destroy something completely, to kill/eliminate someone
The government troops rubbed out the entire village.
rub salt in (someone's) wound
- to deliberately make someone's unhappiness/shame/misfortune worse
My supervisor rubbed salt in my wound when he continued to criticize me for my mistake.
rub (someone's) nose in it
- to remind someone of something that he or she has done wrong
Our supervisor always likes to rub our nose in it if we make a mistake.
rub (someone) the wrong way
- to irritate others with something that one says or does
The woman's rude behavior always rubs me the wrong way.
rub (something) in
- to talk or joke about something that someone said or did
"I know that I made a mistake but you should not rub it in."
rub (something) off
- to remove or to be removed by rubbing, to erase something
The teacher rubbed off the writing on the whiteboard.
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ruffle feathers
- to point feathers outward (used for a bird)
The bird ruffled its feathers as the cat approached the cage.
ruffle (someone's) feathers
- to upset or annoy someone
I do not want to ruffle my friend's feathers as he is in a bad mood today.
ruin of (someone or something)
- the cause of someone's destruction/failure
I think that the poor business skills of my uncle will be the ruin of him.
a rule of thumb
- a basic or accepted pattern or rule
It is a rule of thumb in the fire department that nobody goes into a burning building by themselves.
rule out (someone or something)
- to decide against or eliminate someone or something
They still have not ruled out using the new player during the tournament.
rule the roost
- to be the dominant figure in a family
The woman seems rather quiet but she rules the roost in her family.
rump session
- a meeting held after a larger meeting
After the convention I attended a rump session which was very interesting.
run Idioms run a fever/temperature
- to have a body temperature higher than normal
The little boy was running a fever so his parents decided to call the doctor.
run a risk of (something)
- to be open to danger or loss
You run a risk of going to jail if you drive after drinking.
run a tight ship
- to run an organization/one's life/a ship in an orderly and disciplined manner
My friend runs a tight ship and makes few mistakes in his life.
run afoul of (someone or something)
- to get into trouble with someone or something
The young man ran afoul of the law and got into much trouble.
run after (someone) or (something)
- to chase someone
The young boys were running after the small dog.
run an errand
- to take a short trip to do a specific thing
I was late for work because I had to run an errand in the morning.
run around
- to go to various places to do things
We ran around all day and now we are very tired.
run around in circles
- to act confused, to do a lot but accomplish little
I have been running around in circles all day but I can`t seem to get anything done.
run around like a chicken with its head cut off
- to be in a state of chaos, to run around with what seems to be no purpose
I spent the morning running around like a chicken with its head cut off when I heard that my mother was in the hospital.
run around with (someone)
- to be friends and do things with someone or with a group
My cousin's son is running around with a bad group of people.
run away with (someone)
- to go away with someone, to elope with someone
The girl ran away with her boyfriend and got married.
run away with (someone)
- to take hold of someone
Their imagination ran away with the boys when they went to the circus and then decided that they wanted to join the circus.
run away with (something)
- to take something quickly and secretly without permission or by stealing
Someone ran away with the new computer so now we do not have one.
run away with (something)
- to be much better than others, to win easily
Our hometown team ran away with the football championship.
run circles/rings around (someone)
- to outrun/outdo someone
The young boy is able to run circles around the others in his school.
run counter to (something)
- to be in opposition to something
The actions of the manager run counter to what he has always said that he believes.
run down (someone or something)
- to crash against and knock down someone or something
A car ran down my dog last week.
run down (someone)
- to say bad things about someone, to criticize someone
The girl is always running down her friends. That is why nobody likes her.
to be run down
- to get into poor health or condition, to look bad
My friend has become run down since she started working at night.
run for it
- to dash for safety, to make a speedy escape
When it started raining we ran for it and tried to get to the bus shelter.
run for one's life
- to run away to save one's life
I ran for my life when I met the bear on the camping trip.
run hot and cold
- to be sometimes good/useful/effective/positive and sometimes the opposite
The reviews of the new movie are running hot and cold and I do not know if I will go to see it.
run in (somewhere)
- to make a brief visit or stop somewhere
I ran in to see my sister at her office before I left for the weekend.
run in the family
- to be a common family characteristic
Being a left-handed golfer runs in our family.
run into a brick wall
- to come to a barrier against further progress
I run into a brick wall whenever I try to talk to my boss about a problem at work.
run into (someone)
- to meet someone by chance
I ran into my cousin when I was at the supermarket.
run into (someone or something)
- to hit someone or something, to crash into someone or something
The car ran into the truck on the highway.
run into (something)
- to add up to something, to total something
If you decide to stay in expensive hotels during your holiday it will run into a lot of money.
run into (something)
- to mix with something, to join with something
During the hot weather the red paint ran into the white paint.
run into (something - a fact/difficulty/problems/trouble)
- to experience something, to encounter something
I ran into trouble when I tried to cross the border with no visa.
I ran into several facts about dinosaurs last night.
run like clockwork
- to run or progress very well
The new production system runs like clockwork.
run low on (something)
- to near the end of a supply of something
We are running low on rice so I must buy some soon.
run-of-the-mill
- ordinary, usual
The restaurant was in a run-of-the-mill building but the food was superb.
run off at the mouth
- to talk excessively
My classmate is always running off at the mouth about something.
run off copies of (something)
- to produce copies with a printing press or a copy machine
We ran off many copies of the poster for the festival.
run off with (someone)
- to go away with someone, to elope with someone
My sister ran off with her boyfriend and got married when she was quite young.
run out of patience
- to become annoyed after being patient for a period of time
The mother has run out of patience with her son.
run out of (something)
- to use all of something
The car ran out of gas in the countryside.
run out of time
- to use up all the available time
We ran out of time at the meeting so we could not discuss the staffing issue.
run over (someone or something)
- to drive on top of someone or something
We ran over a rabbit on the way to the meeting.
run over (something)
- to be too full and flow over the edge
The water ran over the edge of the bathtub and got everything in the room wet.
run over (something)
- to read/go over something quickly, to practice something briefly
We plan to run over the material before the meeting.
run ragged
- to be tired or exhausted
The woman is being run ragged by her three children.
run rampant
- to run or grow out of control
The use of illegal taxis is running rampant in our city.
run riot/wild
- to go out of control
The soccer fans ran riot after the game.
run scared
- to behave as if one were going to fail/lose
The politician has been running scared in his attempt to win re-election.
run short of (something)
- to not have enough of something
We ran short of money during our trip to Europe.
run (someone) in
- to take someone to jail, to arrest someone
The police ran the man in for questioning about the robbery.
run (someone) out
- to force someone to leave, to expel someone
The police ran the drug dealers out of town.
run (something) by (someone) again
- to say something again
I asked my colleague to run his ideas by me again.
run (something) into the ground
- to use something more than is wanted or needed, to neglect something
He ran his car into the ground and had to buy another one.
run the gauntlet
- to face a hard test or painful experience
I had to run the gauntlet of many interviews before I got the job.
run the good race
- to do the best that one can
The politician ran the good race but in the end he lost the election.
run through (money or something)
- to spend money recklessly, to use up something wastefully
We ran through a lot of money when we bought furniture for our new apartment.
run through (something)
- to read or practice something from the beginning to the end without stopping
I usually try to run through my speech a couple of times before I have to give it.
run to (an amount of money)
- to amount to a certain amount of money
The cost of repairing my car may run to more money than I can pay.
run/go to seed
- to become worn-out and uncared for
The small store has run to seed and few people like to go there now.
run up
- to add to the amount of something
We ran up a large bill at the department store before we went home.
run up (something)
- to pull something up on a rope
We ran up the flag early this morning before the parade began.
run up against (something)
- to encounter something
The city ran up against many problems when they were building the freeway.
run wild
- to be or go out of control
The crowd ran wild after the soccer game.
.
to be running high
- to have one's feelings in a state of excitement or anger
Feelings about the train accident are running high and the government must give an explanation about what happened.
a rush on (something)
- a large demand for something
There was a rush on candles after the electricity went off for three days.
Russian roulette
- a game of chance in which one bullet is placed in a revolver and the cartridge is spun and the player aims the gun at his head and pulls the trigger
The men in the movie played Russian roulette until one of them finally died.
Russian roulette
- a potentially dangerous situation
Putting the dangerous chemicals on the old ship was like playing a game of Russian roulette. rustle (something) up
- to find and prepare some food etc.
We went home after the game and began to rustle up some dinner.
