run out

What it means

To use up all of something so that no more is left, or to have a supply exhausted. Often used with 'of' plus the thing that's gone: time, money, milk, patience, ideas.

Examples

• We've run out of milk — can you pick some up?
• My phone battery ran out right before the important call.
• She ran out of patience after waiting for two hours.
• Hurry up, we're running out of time to catch the bus.

Where it comes from

Inseparable. Almost always used with 'of' when mentioning what's gone ('run out of bread'). Without 'of', it can mean to literally run outside, but the supply-exhausted meaning is far more common in everyday English. Contracts like passports, leases, and warranties also 'run out' — meaning they expire.

Related phrasal verbs