1 B2 idiomatic informal
To present an idea or piece of information to someone in order to get their reaction or approval
"Can I run this proposal past you before I send it to the client?"
separable
run past
B2 informal separable transitive
To quickly share an idea or piece of information with someone to get their opinion or approval
In plain English
To quickly tell someone your idea to see what they think about it
What does "run past" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To move physically past a person or place while running
"She ran past the finish line without even realising she had won."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To run past someone in a physical sense — the figurative sense extends this to passing information by someone
Actually means
To quickly tell someone your idea to see what they think about it
Usage tip
Very common in business and office contexts. Often used with 'quickly': 'let me just run this past you'. The person whose opinion is sought is the object of the preposition.
Words that pair with "run past"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
idea plan proposal boss team lawyer
How to conjugate "run past"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
run past
I/you/we/they
3rd person
runs past
he/she/it
Past simple
ran past
yesterday
Past participle
run past
have + pp
-ing form
running past
continuous
Hear "run past" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "run past" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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