run into — to meet someone unexpectedly
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to meet someone unexpectedly
Pronunciation (IPA): /rʌn ˈɪntu/
Example Sentences
- I ran into my high school teacher at the grocery store after 10 years.
- The comedian ran into his own joke when he forgot the punchline.
- We ran into budget constraints while planning our dream vacation.
run into
VERB[/rʌn ˈɪntu/]
to meet someone unexpectedly
She was about to run into her ex at the corner store — of all places.
Run into a friend under the sun, and the fun has just begun!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The phrase 'run into' combines 'run' from Old English 'rinnan' (to flow, move quickly) with the preposition 'into' (indicating direction of movement). Originally denoting the literal action of running toward and entering something, it evolved metaphorically to mean encountering someone or something unexpectedly, or colliding with.
Breakdown
run (Old English rinnan, to move rapidly) + into (preposition indicating direction toward the interior or midst of something). The combination originally described physical motion but developed idiomatic usage for chance encounters or collisions.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“I ran into my high school teacher at the grocery store after 10 years.”
“The comedian ran into his own joke when he forgot the punchline.”
“We ran into budget constraints while planning our dream vacation.”
“The GPS was so bad that I ran into three dead ends and a confused cow.”
📚Related Words
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