Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

run like a dry creek

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.19 in modern English

Syllables: run -like a dry creek
IPA

30

Scrabble Score

16

Letters

2

Syllables

11

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To run for political office with little chance of success.

American usage; Colloquial

verb

To run (in various senses) badly or not at all.

American usage; Colloquial

Example Sentences

"The Scripps-Howard newspapers, which are supporting Eisenhower, criticized Ike for "running like a dry creek.""
"The last of the six candidates, Stephen Dorrell, did not even get off the starting-blocks. His campaign ran like a dry creek from day one."
"One Illinois delegate said, "I saw Lodge on television today, and he'll run like a dry creek.""
"Carlyle had a brief trial in the big leagues with the Red Sox and the Yankees. But he ran like a dry creek and was weak of arm."
"The League knew little about lobbving and its cash flow ran like a dry creek. Small and big business were against a consumer cooperative bank bill."
"The days stretch ahead, dull and tedious, and the camp seems to be doing nothing, going nowhere, running like a dry creek."

Etymology

A pun on two senses of run: to flow (as in "running water") and to stand for election.

Usage

American usage
Colloquial

Inflected Forms

runs like a dry creek (present, singular) running like a dry creek (participle, present) ran like a dry creek (past)

Phrases

run for the exercise could not get elected dogcatcher

Frequently Paired Words

run for the exercise could not get elected dogcatcher

Questions

What does run like a dry creek mean?: To run for political office with little chance of success.
Where does run like a dry creek come from?: A pun on two senses of run: to flow (as in "running water") and to stand for election.

How to pronounce run like a dry creek

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