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- run up
run up
run something up
1. Lit. to raise or hoist something, such as a flag. Harry ran the flag up the flagpole each morning. Will you please run up the flag today?
2. Fig. to cause something to go higher, such as the price of stocks or commodities. A rumor about higher earnings ran the price of the computer stocks up early in the afternoon. They ran up the price too high.
3. Fig. to accumulate indebtedness. I ran up a huge phone bill last month. Walter ran up a bar bill at the hotel that made his boss angry.
4. to stitch something together quickly. She's very clever. I'm sure she can run up a costume for you. The seamstress ran up a party dress in one afternoon.
run up (to someone or something)
to run as far as someone or something and stop; to run to the front of someone or something. I ran up to the mailman and said hello to him. I ran up and said hello.
run up something
to cause something to reach a high level or large amount Carol ran up a huge phone bill last month, calling the UK and Mexico.
run up
1. Make or become greater or larger, as in That offer will run up the price of the stock. [Late 1500s]
2. Accumulate, as in She ran up huge bills at the florist. [First half of 1700s]
3. Sew rapidly, as in I can run up some new curtains for the kitchen. [Mid-1800s]
4. Raise a flag, as in Let's run up the flag in time for the holiday. This usage, originating in the navy about 1900, gave rise to the slangy phrase, Let's run it up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes, meaning, "Let's try this out." The latter originated about 1960 as advertising jargon.
run up
v.1. To cause some debt to accumulate: Don't run up such a big bill next time you go out to eat! He has been running a large debt up for months.
2. To increase some value: The craze for this company's stock will run up its price. The bidders ran the price up to $100.