run into the ground
To mismanage to the point of ruin.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He will run the business into the ground with his bad decisions.”
“The new manager ignored every warning and eventually ran the company into the ground.”
“By neglecting essential maintenance and ignoring the staff's concerns, the owner effectively ran his once-thriving enterprise into the ground within a single year.”
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break into a run
To start running.
- 02
common ground
A characteristic or interest shared by multiple people or systems; any belief, etc. held in common.
- 03
common run
Ordinary persons, things, or events.
- 04
dry run
A practice or rehearsal; especially, one that goes through all the motions of a physical process but without the raw material or workpiece present.
- 05
dummy run
A trial or practice before the real attempt.
- 06
ear to the ground
The practice or characteristic of carefully gathering information; a state or mindset of attentiveness.
- 07
eyes on the ground
One or more observers in an area of interest.
- 08
facts on the ground
The situation in reality as opposed to in the abstract.
Last updated August 10, 2026