to run into the ground

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Run \Run\, v. t.
   1. To cause to run (in the various senses of {Run}, v. i.);
      as, to run a horse; to run a stage; to run a machine; to
      run a rope through a block.
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   2. To pursue in thought; to carry in contemplation.
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            To run the world back to its first original.
                                                  --South.
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            I would gladly understand the formation of a soul,
            and run it up to its "punctum saliens." --Collier.
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   3. To cause to enter; to thrust; as, to run a sword into or
      through the body; to run a nail into the foot.
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            You run your head into the lion's mouth. --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
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            Having run his fingers through his hair. --Dickens.
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   4. To drive or force; to cause, or permit, to be driven.
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            They ran the ship aground.            --Acts xxvii.
                                                  41.
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            A talkative person runs himself upon great
            inconveniences by blabbing out his own or other's
            secrets.                              --Ray.
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            Others, accustomed to retired speculations, run
            natural philosophy into metaphysical notions.
                                                  --Locke.
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   5. To fuse; to shape; to mold; to cast; as, to run bullets,
      and the like.
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            The purest gold must be run and washed. --Felton.
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   6. To cause to be drawn; to mark out; to indicate; to
      determine; as, to run a line.
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   7. To cause to pass, or evade, offical restrictions; to
      smuggle; -- said of contraband or dutiable goods.
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            Heavy impositions . . . are a strong temptation of
            running goods.                        --Swift.
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   8. To go through or accomplish by running; as, to run a race;
      to run a certain career.
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   9. To cause to stand as a candidate for office; to support
      for office; as, to run some one for Congress. [Colloq.
      U.S.]
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   10. To encounter or incur, as a danger or risk; as, to run
       the risk of losing one's life. See To run the chances,
       below. "He runneth two dangers." --Bacon.
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             If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.
                                                  --Dan Quail
       .
       [PJC]

   11. To put at hazard; to venture; to risk.
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             He would himself be in the Highlands to receive
             them, and run his fortune with them. --Clarendon.
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   12. To discharge; to emit; to give forth copiously; to be
       bathed with; as, the pipe or faucet runs hot water.
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             At the base of Pompey's statua,
             Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
                                                  --Shak.
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   13. To be charged with, or to contain much of, while flowing;
       as, the rivers ran blood.
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   14. To conduct; to manage; to carry on; as, to run a factory
       or a hotel. [Colloq. U.S.]
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   15. To tease with sarcasms and ridicule. [Colloq.]
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   16. To sew, as a seam, by passing the needle through material
       in a continuous line, generally taking a series of
       stitches on the needle at the same time.
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   17. To migrate or move in schools; -- said of fish; esp., to
       ascend a river in order to spawn.
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   18. (Golf) To strike (the ball) in such a way as to cause it
       to run along the ground, as when approaching a hole.
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   {To run a blockade}, to get to, or away from, a blockaded
      port in safety.

   {To run down}.
       (a) (Hunting) To chase till the object pursued is
           captured or exhausted; as, to run down a stag.
       (b) (Naut.) To run against and sink, as a vessel.
       (c) To crush; to overthrow; to overbear. "Religion is run
           down by the license of these times." --Berkeley.
       (d) To disparage; to traduce. --F. W. Newman.

   {To run hard}.
       (a) To press in competition; as, to run one hard in a
           race.
       (b) To urge or press importunately.
       (c) To banter severely.

   {To run into the ground}, to carry to an absurd extreme; to
      overdo. [Slang, U.S.]
       (c) To erect hastily, as a building.
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