run over
2 meanings
hit and drive over a person or animal with a vehicle
What does "run over" mean in this sense?
Examples
- He accidentally ran over a cat while reversing out of the driveway.
- A young cyclist was run over by a van near the school gates.
- She stepped into the road without looking and a taxi nearly ran her over.
How to use it
The most natural pattern with short noun phrases or pronouns, where the object is placed between the verb and particle.
A reversing lorry nearly ran the cyclist over at the junction.
With pronoun objects, separation is virtually obligatory — placing the pronoun after 'over' sounds very unnatural.
The driver didn't even stop after he ran her over.
When the object is a longer noun phrase, keeping it unseparated after the particle sounds more natural.
The speeding car almost ran over a group of tourists crossing the street.
This passive construction is very common when the focus is on the victim's experience; the agent can be omitted.
Their dog got run over by a delivery van last week.
The formal passive is frequently used in news reports and official accounts, often with the agent included.
A pedestrian was run over by a motorbike on the main road early this morning.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
When the object is a pronoun, you must place it between 'run' and 'over'. Putting the pronoun after 'over' sounds very unnatural in this sense.
'Knock down' focuses on the impact of the collision sending someone to the ground, while 'run over' specifically means the vehicle's wheels pass over the person or animal. Use 'run over' when you want to emphasise the wheels going over the body.
In this sense — hitting someone with a vehicle — 'run over' always needs a direct object (a person, animal, or body part). Without an object, the sentence shifts to a completely different meaning about exceeding a time limit.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English — from casual conversation to news reports. 'Get run over' is very common when talking about the experience of the victim.
quickly go through or check something
Sense 2: What does "run over sth" mean?
Examples
- Let me just run over the main points before we finish.
- Could you run over the safety procedures one more time?
- She ran over the key findings at the start of the presentation.
How to use it
This is the standard pattern — the object (typically something like 'the main points', 'the agenda', or 'the rules') always follows 'over'.
Before we start, let me quickly run over the schedule for today.
This phrasal verb is very often introduced by 'let' or a modal verb, especially in spoken contexts like presentations or briefings.
Shall we run over the key steps one more time before the workshop begins?
Adding 'again' or 'one more time' signals that the review is a repetition — useful when checking understanding or reinforcing information.
Could you run over the instructions again? I want to make sure I've got them right.
Adverbs like 'just', 'quickly', and 'briefly' are natural companions and reinforce the idea of a light, swift review.
I'll briefly run over the main findings before we open the floor for questions.
When using a pronoun, it must come after 'over', never between 'run' and 'over'.
Those are the core rules — let me run over them once more so everyone is clear.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
Never place the object between 'run' and 'over' in this sense. 'Run it over' or 'run them over' sounds like hitting something with a vehicle, not reviewing it. The object — including pronouns — must always follow 'over'.
'Run over' implies a quick, light recap, while 'go over' suggests a more careful and thorough review. Using 'run over' when you mean a detailed examination may understate the depth of the review.
In this 'review' sense, 'run over' must take an object — something to review. Without an object, the phrase is interpreted as the 'exceed a time limit' sense (e.g. 'the meeting ran over').
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral in register and very common in spoken English, especially in meetings, lessons, and presentations. It suggests a quick or brief review, so it often appears with adverbs like 'just' or 'quickly'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'run over' always mean hitting someone with a vehicle? I've heard it used in other ways.
No, 'run over' has at least two other common meanings. It can mean to review or go through something quickly ('Let's run over the main points'), and it can mean to go over a time limit ('The meeting ran over by twenty minutes'). The clue is in the object: a person, animal, or body part signals the vehicle-collision sense, while an abstract noun or no object at all signals one of the other senses.
Is 'get run over' correct, or should I say 'be run over'?
Both are correct, but they have slightly different feels. 'Get run over' is more conversational and is especially common when describing the victim's experience ('He got run over on his way to work'). 'Be run over' is more formal and appears frequently in news reports and official statements ('A woman was run over near the town centre'). Either is fine in most situations.
Can I use 'run over' in the present continuous, like 'The car is running her over'?
This is technically possible if you are describing something happening at that exact moment, but it sounds quite unnatural in practice. Because the action is so sudden, English speakers almost always use the simple past or simple present when telling a story. The present continuous works much better for ongoing actions rather than brief, sudden events like this.
What kinds of things can be the object of 'run over' in this sense?
The object should always be a living creature or a body part — a pedestrian, a cyclist, a dog, a cat, or even someone's foot. Using an abstract noun or a document as the object would make listeners think you mean 'review' (the other sense of 'run over'). Vehicles, buildings, and similar objects are not typical objects in this sense either.
What's the difference between 'run over' and 'mow down'?
'Mow down' suggests hitting multiple people, or implies something violent and deliberate, often at speed. 'Run over' is more neutral and usually refers to a single victim or an accident. If you want to describe an everyday road accident, 'run over' is almost always the right choice.
Does 'run over' always mean reviewing something quickly, or can it mean a thorough review?
In this sense, 'run over' specifically implies a brief, light recap — not a deep or exhaustive analysis. If you want to suggest a more careful or thorough review, 'go over' is a better choice. If you mean going through something in full sequence (like a rehearsal), 'run through' fits better.
Can I use 'run over' in formal writing, like a report or academic essay?
It's better to avoid it in formal written English. 'Run over' is more at home in spoken contexts — meetings, presentations, lessons, and briefings. In formal writing, 'review' or 'go through' would be more appropriate.
Can 'run over' be used in the passive, like 'the points were run over'?
Technically possible, but very unnatural in this sense. Native speakers almost never use the passive with this phrasal verb. It's much more natural to say 'she ran over the points' than 'the points were run over'.
Is there a difference between 'run over' and 'run through' when talking about reviewing something?
'Run through' often implies going through something in full and in order — like practising a speech or rehearsing a process from beginning to end. 'Run over' suggests a quicker, less sequential recap of the highlights or key elements.
What kinds of things can follow 'run over' in this sense?
The object is almost always an abstract, organisational noun — things like 'the main points', 'the agenda', 'the key steps', 'the rules', 'the plan', or 'the schedule'. Avoid using people or physical objects as the direct object, as that produces the completely different 'hit with a vehicle' meaning.
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