- run something up
- run something up†1. Lit. to raise or hoist something, such as a flag. •
Harry ran the flag up the flagpole each morning.
•Will you please run up the flag today?
2. Fig. to cause something to go higher, such as the price of stocks or commodities. •A rumor about higher earnings ran the price of the computer stocks up early in the afternoon.
•They ran up the price too high.
3. Fig. to accumulate indebtedness. •I ran up a huge phone bill last month.
•Walter ran up a bar bill at the hotel that made his boss angry.
4. to stitch something together quickly. •She's very clever. I'm sure she can run up a costume for you.
•The seamstress ran up a party dress in one afternoon.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.