run riot (redirected from run wild)

run riot and run wild

Fig. to get out of control. The dandelions have run riot in our lawn. The children ran wild at the birthday party and had to be taken home.

See also: riot, run

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run riot 

1. if people run riot, they behave in a way that is not controlled, running in all directions or being noisy or violent I dread them coming round because they let their kids run riot.

2. if your imagination runs riot, you have a lot of strange, exciting, or surprising thoughts My imagination was running riot, thinking of all the ways that I could spend the money.

See read the riot act

See also: riot, run