run rings around (someone or something)

1. To move much faster than someone or something. A: "Hey, wanna race?" B: "No way, I'm too out of shape. You would run rings around me!" My sports car is going to run rings around your pokey little station wagon!

2. To do something much better or more efficiently than someone or something. Let me try playing that video game with you—I bet I could run rings around you guys! When it comes to processing power, Spikerosoft's new machine runs rings around Flapple's.

run rings around

Also, run circles around. Be markedly superior to, as in Ethan runs rings around David in chess, or In spelling, Karen runs circles around her classmates. The first term, dating from the late 1800s, alludes to a horse running around a riding ring much faster than the others.

run rings around someone

BRITISH, AMERICAN or

run rings round someone

BRITISH

If someone runs rings round you or runs rings around you, they perform much better than you, often defeating you. He was very happy, having just watched his side run rings around Everton. Note: You often hear people say that someone can run rings round or around someone else, meaning that they are much better at something than the other person. Mentally, he can still run rings round men half his age.

run ˈrings around/round somebody/something

(informal) do something very well and so make your opponent look foolish: I don’t want to compete against her in the debate, she’ll run rings around me.

See also: around, ring, round, run, somebody, something

See also: