run up

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run up (third-person singular simple present runs up, present participle running up, simple past ran up, past participle run up)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see run,‎ up.

   The small boy ran up the hill.

2. To run (towards someone or something); to hasten to a destination.

   As I was walking along the road, a man suddenly ran up to me.

   The dog ran up under the table to get his food.

3. (with to) To approach (an event or point in time).

   We are putting on lots of special attractions as we run up to Christmas.

4. (transitive) To take to a destination or before an authority.
   • 1924, Michigan. Supreme Court, Michigan Reports, volume 226, page 46:

     […] and I took him along and ran him up to police headquarters.

5. To erect hastily, as a building.
6. (idiomatic, transitive) To make something, usually an item of clothing, very quickly.

   I'll run you up a skirt for tomorrow evening.

7. (idiomatic, transitive) To bring (a flag) to the top of its flag pole.

   Stand quietly while the honor guard runs the flag up.

8. (transitive) To string up; to hang.
9. (cricket) Of a bowler, to run, or walk up to the bowling crease in order to bowl a ball.

   He runs up... and bowls. Smashed away for four runs!

10. (intransitive, transitive) To rise; to swell; to grow; to increase.

    Accounts of goods credited run up very fast.

    • 1821 January 8, [Walter Scott], Kenilworth; a Romance. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; and John Ballantyne, […]; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC:

      But these, having been untrimmed for many years, had run up into great bushes, or rather dwarf trees.

    • 2009 February 6, Roy Furchgott, “Google Glitch May Run Up Phone Bills”, in New York Times‎:

      Google Glitch May Run Up Phone Bills [title]

11. (idiomatic) To accumulate (a debt).

    He ran up over $5,000 in unpaid bills.

12. To thrust up, as anything long and slender.

    The fence runs up along the edge of the pasture.

run up (plural run ups)

1. Alternative form of run-up

• run up against
• run up on

• nupur, uprun