run short of — to use up almost all of something and not have enough
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to use up almost all of something and not have enough
Pronunciation (IPA): /rʌn ʃɔːrt ʌv/
Example Sentences
- The bakery ran short of donuts because everyone wanted them for the office meeting.
- I'm running short of excuses for being late to work every day.
- The company is running short of budget for this project.
run short of
VERB[/rʌn ʃɔːrt ʌv/]
to use up almost all of something and not have enough


Running short of drinks at the sport court!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrasal verb combines the English verb 'run' (meaning to proceed or continue) with the adjective 'short' (meaning lacking or insufficient) and the preposition 'of' to form an idiomatic expression meaning to exhaust one's supply or fall short in quantity.
Breakdown
run (to proceed, continue) + short (lacking, insufficient) + of (preposition indicating lack or deficiency)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The bakery ran short of donuts because everyone wanted them for the office meeting.”
“I'm running short of excuses for being late to work every day.”
“The company is running short of budget for this project.”
“We ran short of chairs for the meeting, so some people had to stand.”
“My phone is running short of battery during this important call.”
📚Related Words
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