phrasal verb · formal
run short of
UK/rʌn ʃɔːt əv/US/rʌn ʃɔrt əv/run·SHORT·of
to not have enough of something; to be running low on supplies or resources
Examples
“If current consumption continues, the city will run short of clean water by summer.”
“During exams students often run short of time for the last questions.”
“The charity ran short of volunteers over the holiday period.”
Band 8 sentence
“If governments ignore sustainable planning, whole regions will inevitably run short of potable water within a generation.”
Collocations
- run short of time / resources / money
- begin to run short of
Word family
Common mistakes
to lack of→to lack
run short water→run short of water
have shortage→have a shortage
Say it for a higher band
5lack→6be short of→7+run short of
Synonyms
lack
Easily confused
run out of
“By the end of the week the clinic had run out of supplies.”
Related words
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