run down
phrasal verb·2 senses·particle down
Meanings
Criticise someone or something
Why “down”? Something is pressed down and kept from rising again.
“He's always running down his colleagues.”
“The review ran down the new film.”
Hit a person or animal with a vehicle
Why “down”? A structure, a system, or someone's mood can go down when it fails.
“A car nearly ran the cyclist down.”
“The driver stopped before he ran down the dog.”
Don't confuse with
Run down means criticise someone or something. Run up means accumulate a debt, bill or score quickly.
Test yourself
“He's always running down his colleagues.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
run up
A contrast learners often mix up
Accumulate a debt, bill or score quickly
back down
Same down pattern: losing
Withdraw from a position
bog down
Same down pattern: pressure
Slow or get stuck
break down
Same down pattern: losing
(of a vehicle or machine) stop working; Lose emotional control and start crying; Separate something into smaller parts to understand it; (of negotiations or relationships) fail or end; Force a door open by hitting it; Decompose into simpler chemical substances
bring down
Same down pattern: losing
Cause something to fall or land; Make something lower in level or amount; Cause a government or leader to lose power; Make someone feel sad or depressed
burn down
Same down pattern: losing
Destroy a building completely by fire
clamp down
Same down pattern: pressure
Impose strict control
close down
Same down pattern: losing
Permanently stop a business or service
Tell it apart
Side-by-side comparisons with the verbs learners most often confuse for “run down”.
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