Run out of — to have no more of something
This morning, I wanted some toast but I’d run out of bread. So, I rushed out of the house and got into the car. I turned the key but the car didn’t start — I’d run out of petrol! I ran down the road to the shop but they’d run out of sliced bread. I decided to buy some rolls instead. Then I realised I’d run out of money. I’m always doing it and the shopkeeper has run out of patience with me. I came home, looked at the clock and saw that I’d run out of time for breakfast.
You can run out of food, most substances and materials, time, money, patience and luck.
What have you ever run out of?
Put off — postpone doing something
It’s my own fault — I’m always putting things off. I don’t like shopping so I put off going to the shops. I hate filling up the car with petrol so I put off going to the petrol station. I hate queuing so I put off going to the bank and now I’ve got toothache because I’ve been putting off going to the dentist for weeks.
You can put off doing most things — although it’s not a good habit!
What things do you put off?
Get back — to return
Although, I have got an excuse; I only got back last night. I’d been away on holiday and the flight got back late and it was even later by the time I got back to the house. I can tell you, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to getting back to work.
You get back to a place or activity.
Hold up — delay
The problem is that there was a hold up with my flight coming back. First of all, we were held up at the airport because of a storm and no flights could take off. Then we were held up waiting for other flights to take off. Finally, we were held up at the airport when we got back because the baggage carousel was broken. It was just one hold up after another. As you can see, hold up also exists as a noun. Apart from the meaning of delay, it can also mean stopped by a robber. Joke: a man goes to town and comes back two hours later. When he returns his wife says, ‘You’ve been a long time.’‘Yes, sorry,’he says, ‘I was held up at the bank!’
Break down — stop working
Oh, I nearly forgot, on the way home the taxi broke down. Can you believe my luck? Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait too long for the breakdown recovery vehicle to arrive but I was still worried; I don’t have any luck with mechanical things. Before I went on holiday my car, my computer and my printer all broke down. Has anything broken down on you lately?
Give in — to stop fighting, admit defeat
I used to get annoyed about it but now I just give in. With technology, I can’t win so I might as well give in. It’s like when Terry asks me stupid questions, like what’s the capital of Guatemala? ‘I don’t know,’I say, ‘I give in.’ Do you give in or fight back?
Show off — to boast and display
Oh well, I don’t care. I can’t wait to get back to work and show off my tan and the photos of the beautiful beach. There’s even a picture of me standing next to a Ferrari. I pretended it was mine — just to show off! You can also be a show off. What do you show off about? Nothing? I believe you!
Now summarise Chapter
- Alan ran out of bread because he put off going to the shops. He hadn’t been shopping because he got back late. The flight was late because it was held up by a storm. He was also late because his taxi broke down. He doesn’t have much luck with technology so he finds it’s easier just to give in. Anyway, he doesn’t care because he can show off his tan.
Mini test
- Can you believe that’s the third time this week the photocopier has broken down?
- What time do you think you’ll get back from the meeting?
- Julie loves herself; she’s such a show off.
- I don’t know, I give in.
- I think I’ll put off visiting my sister until next week.
- I hope you like your coffee black, I’ve run out of milk.
- He’s probably been held up in the traffic.
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