A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

run up to something • runup to something
run up to something —(also: run out at something ) amount
to a figure mentioned; reach a sum: The first stage of the oil
project will cost $4 billion, and later development costs will
run up to $
1
2 billion.
runup to something —the period leading to an activity, such
as election, etc.: Baker doesn’t think war is inevitable, but he
thinks we’re in a runup to war.
running fit • running fits
running fit—(Engineering ) contact of mechanical parts that
permits free rotation or movement: A running fit is one in
which an allowance is made so that a shaft will be free to rotate
in a bearing.
running fits —canine hysteria (an epileptic condition of dogs):
After a few weeks the dogs began to exhibit signs of “running
fits.”
rush someone off his feet • sweep someone off his
feet
rush someone off his feet—(also: rush someone off his legs)
exhaust a person by keeping him constantly busy: I’ve been
so rushed off my feet that I’ve not had a moment to do any-
thing except work.
sweep someone off his feet—(also: carry someone off his feet)
affect a person with overwhelming enthusiasm: I remember
being swept completely off my feet when I first met Jim.
Russian Easter egg • Russian egg
Russian Easter egg —hand painted wooden or porcelaine dec-
orative egg: She plays an American wife who comes across a
Russian Easter egg that has been in her family for years.
Russian egg —an egg poached and served with mayonnaise
on a lettuce leaf: I yelled an order for Russian eggs. It comes
up a salad the size of the Garden of Eden.
rust bowl • rust bucket
rust bowl —(U.S.) said of the declining industrial areas, espe-
cially of the Middle West: His policies are turning our great
industrial Midwest and the industrial base of this country into
a rust bowl.
rust bucket—(sl.) 
1
. (U.S.) an old, worn and rusty ship: To
try to get the jump on the weather, ore carriers will put every
rust bucket that floats into the ore trade. 2. (Austral.) a dilap-
idated rusty old car: And because no one wants to buy a rust
bucket, it can radically depreciate your car’s resale value.
S