run out
phrasal verb·4 senses·particle out
Meanings
Use up the supply of something
Why “out”? Going outward until nothing remains. Supply is gone.
“We've run out of milk.”
“The printer ran out of paper.”
“The hikers ran out of water.”
“Time is running out.”
“My phone is running out of battery.”
(of a contract, lease or document) reach the end of its valid period
“My passport runs out next year.”
“The lease runs out in March.”
Run out of a building or room
Why “out”? Movement goes from inside to outside.
“He ran out of the room shouting.”
“He ran out of the room during the alarm.”
Reject and force someone to leave a place
Why “out”? Pushing outward to eliminate. What is removed is sent away.
“They ran him out of town.”
“The neighbours ran the gang out.”
Don't confuse with
Run out means use all of a supply. Run up means make a bill or score grow quickly.
Run out means reach the end of its valid period. Run down means criticise someone or something.
Run out means reject and force someone to leave a place. Run off means leave running.
Test yourself
“We've run out of milk.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
run along
A contrast learners often mix up
Used to tell a child or someone to leave (often dismissively)
run down
A contrast learners often mix up
Criticise someone or something
run off
A contrast learners often mix up
Leave running, often abruptly
run up
A contrast learners often mix up
Accumulate a debt, bill or score quickly
ask out
Same out pattern: departure
Invite someone on a romantic date
black out
Same out pattern: exhaustion
Lose consciousness briefly
blank out
Same out pattern: exhaustion
Suddenly fail to remember or think of something
blot out
Same out pattern: removal
Cover or hide something so it can no longer be seen
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