The idiom and phrasal verb run into is a difficult one because it has at least seven different meanings. It is also used as part of other idioms such as run into a brick wall and run into the ground.
Meaning Of Idiom ‘Run Into’ (Phrasal Verb)
Meaning 1: To meet someone or find them unexpectedly, by chance. I.E. to run into someone.
Examples Of Use
“You won’t believe who I ran into downtown last night. Mr. Healey, our old English teacher!”
“I’m glad I ran into you. I was hoping you could come over for dinner tomorrow.”
Meaning 2: To encounter something, such as a difficulty or incur, usually expenses or debt. See also run against (first definition).
Examples Of Use
“Until he ran into trouble with the law, Franklin was a successful businessman.”
“We ran into some problems with one of the components but we should have the machine up and running by tomorrow.”
“We’ve run into some unexpected expenses this quarter which will affect the employee bonuses.”
Meaning 3. Collide with something.
Examples Of Use
“When I was young a ran into a glass door and broke my nose.”
“I saw a guy jogging today. He was so busy googling at a girl he ran into a signpost.”
Meaning 4: (Of an amount, e.g. money) to reach a particular quantity (e.g. run into millions).
Examples Of Use
“The damage from the hurricane could run into the millions.”
“The musician has failed to file taxes and his tax bills have run into the hundreds of thousands.”
Meaning 5. Increase, keep going.
Example Of Use
“The days ran into weeks as the castaways waited for rescue.”
Meaning 6. Follow one upon the other with no separation or interruption; to blend together or appear to coalesce. 1Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Example Of Use
“The excited reporters were eager for a scoop and their questions ran into one another, making it hard to hear what they were asking.”
“Everyone in the room was talking at once so that their words ran into one another.”
Origin
This idiom has been used in one way or another since the 1300s. The first definition dates only from around 1900 but is very common.
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