run short

run short

1. To dwindle; to be nearly used, spent, or consumed. I knew time was running short for us to find a solution. They warn that the natural resource is beginning to run short.

2. To near the end of a supply of something. Usually followed by "on" or "of." We're running short of paper towels right now, so use them judiciously. I'm running short on patience, Tom, so please get to the point.

3. To finish earlier than expected. Our rehearsals ran short today, so I was able to get back home in time for dinner. You could tell the show ran short, because the presenters started talking about all sorts of random stuff to fill the rest of the hour.

See also: run, short

run short of (something)

To near the end of a supply of something. We're running short of paper towels right now, so use them judiciously.

See also: of, run, short

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

run short (of something)

to begin to run out of something. We are running short of eggs. I always keep enough so I will never run short.

See also: run, short

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

run short

Use something up so that a supply runs out or becomes insufficient, as in We ran short of envelopes, or The organization is running short of money. [Mid-1700s]

See also: run, short

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.