run on empty
To be losing enthusiasm or willingnessTo be losing enthusiasm or willingness; to lack motivation.
» My energy is running on empty.
Nuel · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 senses(idiomatic)To be losing enthusiasm or willingness; to lack motivation.
Near-synonyms: run on fumes, run out of steam
He has been running on empty for a while. It's likely the project will be canceled.
Examples
2 sentencesMy energy is running on empty.
For a deep clean, run an empty dishwasher cycle with vinegar or baking soda.
Origin
An allusion to a vehicle operating with the fuel gauge pointing to empty or near empty, liAn allusion to a vehicle operating with the fuel gauge pointing to empty or near empty, likely to stop running in the very near future.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
runs on empty, running on empty, ran on empty, run on empty| Base form | run on empty · to run on empty |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | runs on empty |
| Present participle | running on empty |
| Past simple | ran on empty |
| Past participle | run on empty |
irregular · Lesson
Synonyms
2 synonymsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.