English · Daily Life
run into
/rʌn ˈɪn.tuː/
[/rʌn ˈɪn.tuː/]
meet by chance
Intermediateverb
Definition
To meet someone unexpectedly, or to encounter a problem or difficulty.
Example
I ran into an old colleague at the airport, and we spent an hour catching up over coffee.
I ran into an old colleague at the airport, and we spent an hour catching up over coffee.
Etymology
From 'run' plus 'into', extending the literal sense of colliding to chance encounters by the 19th century.
How & Where It’s Used
Informal and conversational; also used figuratively for hitting obstacles ('run into trouble').