run off

What does "run off" mean?

1. To leave quickly, often to escape
2. To make copies using a machine
3. To drain liquid away
4. To drive away livestock or people

Examples

• The suspect ran off before police arrived.
• Can you run off twenty copies of this document?
• Let the water run off before you start painting.
• Her husband ran off with his secretary.
• The farmer ran off the trespassers from his property.

How to use it

'Run off with' someone means to elope or leave with them (often romantically). 'Runoff' (noun) refers to water or liquid that drains away, or a deciding election.

Word order

For copying: separable ('run some copies off'). For escaping: not separable. For driving away: separable ('run someone off').

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• run by

  To tell someone about an idea to get their opinion

• run out

  To use all of something so there is none left

• run into

  To meet someone by chance

• run over

  To hit someone or something with a vehicle

• run away

  To leave a place or person quickly to escape

• run up

  To accumulate a large bill or debt