run down

run down
run down
1. to come down, running or very quickly; to go down, running or very quickly. •

I need to talk to you down here. Can you run down?

I will run down and talk to you.

2. [for something] to lose power and stop working. •

The clock ran down because no one was there to wind it.

The toy ran down and wouldn't go again until it had been wound.

3. to become worn or dilapidated. •

The property was allowed to run down, and it took a lot of money to fix it up.

The old neighborhood has certainly run down since we moved away.

* * *
{v.} (stress on "down") 1. To crash against and knock down or sink. * /Jack rode his bicycle too fast and almost ran down his little brother./ * /It was so foggy that the steamship almost ran down a small boat leaving port./ Compare: RUN INTO(3a). 2a. To chase until exhausted or caught. * /The dogs ran down the wounded deer./ 2b. To find by hard and thorough search; also: trace to its cause or beginning. * /The policeman ran down proof that the burglar had robbed the store./ Compare: HUNT DOWN. 2c. To catch (a base runner) between bases and tag out in baseball. * /The pitcher saw that the base runner was not on base, so he surprised him by throwing the ball to the first baseman, who ran him down before he reached second base./ 3. {informal} To say bad things about; criticize. * /Suzy ran down the club because the girls wouldn't let her join./ Compare: FIND FAULT. 4. To stop working; not run or go. * /The battery in Father's car ran down this morning./ * /The kitchen clock ran down because we forgot to wind it./ 5. To get into poor condition; look bad. * /A neighborhood runs down when the people don't take care of their houses./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • run down — {v.} (stress on down ) 1. To crash against and knock down or sink. * /Jack rode his bicycle too fast and almost ran down his little brother./ * /It was so foggy that the steamship almost ran down a small boat leaving port./ Compare: RUN INTO(3a) …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • run-down — ˈrun down adjective PROPERTY a building or area that is run down is in very bad condition: • We have a contract to renovate five run down apartment buildings. * * * Ⅰ. run down UK US (also rundown) /ˌrʌnˈdaʊn/ adjective ► PROPERTY …   Financial and business terms

  • run|down — «RUHN DOWN», noun. Informal. an account; summary: »a rundown of the week s news. The speaker gave a brief rundown on his career. run down «adjective. RUHN DOWN; noun. RUHN DOWN», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. tired; sick: »If you are generally “run… …   Useful english dictionary

  • run-down — adj 1.) a building or area that is run down is in very bad condition ▪ a run down inner city area 2.) [not before noun] someone who is run down is tired and not healthy ▪ You look a bit run down …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • run-down — /run down /, adj. 1. fatigued; weary; exhausted. 2. in a state of poor health: He was in a run down condition from months of overwork. 3. in neglected condition; fallen into disrepair: a run down house. 4. (of a spring operated device) not… …   Universalium

  • run down — (someone/something) 1. to search for and find someone or something. We spend a lot of money each year running down students who are out of school illegally. The software giant spent months running down bugs in the program and fixing them. The… …   New idioms dictionary

  • run-down — adjective 1. ) so tired that you do not feel well: Evie had been working too hard and was feeling run down. 2. ) in bad condition because no one has spent money on repairs: This area of San Francisco is poor and run down …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • run down — (someone) to injure or kill someone with a vehicle. He s accused of running down two pedestrians while driving drunk. She tried to run us down! …   New idioms dictionary

  • run-down — [adj] shabby, in bad shape abandoned, beat up, below par, broken down, crumbling, debilitated, decrepit, derelict, deserted, desolate, dilapidated, dingy, dogeared*, down at the heel*, drained, enervated, exhausted, fatigued, forsaken, frowzy*,… …   New thesaurus

  • run down — ► run down 1) knoc k down with a vehicle. 2) criticize unfairly or unkindly. 3) reduce or become reduced in size or resources. 4) lose or cause to lose power; stop functioning. 5) gradually deteriorate. Main Entry: ↑run …   English terms dictionary

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