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run into

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run into someone or something

to bump into someone or something. I didn't mean to run into you. I'm sorry. Mary ran into the fence and scraped her elbow.

See also: run

run someone or something into something

 and run someone or something in

to take or drive someone or something into something or some place. Let me run you into the city this morning. I need the car today. Do you want to go to town? I have to run in George and you can come along.

See also: run

run something into something

 and run something in 

1. to guide or route something, such as a wire or a pipe, into something or a place. The worker ran the circuit into each room. He ran in the circuit as specified.

2. to guide something into something; to drive or steer something into something else. Bobby ran his bicycle into the wall, bending the front wheel. Please don't run your car into the wall! run something into the ground and drive something into the ground

1. Lit. to pound or force something into the ground. Use a heavy mallet to drive the stakes into the ground. Run this post into the ground and nail this sign to it.

2. Fig. to carry something too far. It was a good joke at first, Tom, but you've run it into the ground. Just because everyone laughed once, you don't have to drive it into the ground.

See also: run

run into somebody

to meet someone by chance I ran into Mike on Seventh Avenue.

See also: run

run into something

1. to experience something unexpectedly, esp. something unpleasant The center ran into some financial trouble and had to borrow money.

2. also run to something to cost or reach a certain amount Their salaries run into thousands per week. Costs on the project ran to the millions.

See also: run

run into

1. Meet or find by chance, as in I ran into an old friend at the concert. [c. 1900]

2. See run against, def. 1.

3. Collide with, as in The car ran straight into the retaining wall. [c. 1800]

4. Incur, as in We've run into extra expenses with the renovation, or James said they've run into debt. [c. 1400]

5. Mount up, increase to, as in Her book may well run into a second volume.

6. Follow without interruption, as in What with one day running into the next, we never knew just what day it was! or He spoke so fast his words ran into one another. [Late 1600s] Also see run into a stone wall; run into the ground.

See also: run

run into

v.

1. To go quickly into some place on foot: The wild horses ran into the woods.

2. To enter quickly or briefly some place on foot: I ran into the department store for some new socks.

3. To collide with something: I drove off the road and ran into a tree.

4. To drive or propel something and cause it to collide with something else: I ran my car into a tree. The truck ran the pedestrian into the guardrail.

5. To drive someone to some central place: I'll run you into the center of town and you can walk home from there.

6. To meet or find someone or something by chance: We ran into some old friends at the bar. I ran into a quaint restaurant outside of town.

7. To encounter some unpleasant or unfavorable situation: The travelers ran into some bad weather on their way over the mountains.

8. To amount to some quantity: His net worth runs into the millions.

See also: run