In Appalachian and Southern speech, "run off" can mean to leave quickly, chase someone or something away, or in farming, to describe water or soil washing away after heavy rain.
When something leaves fast, we usually say it 'took off'. But if you want something to get away from you, you wanna holler 'git' if you want to 'run it off.' This one is definitely still in use.
Pronunciation
[ruhn awf]
Meaning & Usage
- Leave Quickly (verb)
Depart in a hurry
Elmer:
Why'd you run off?
Estel:
I saw Clyde a'comin'.
- Chase Away (verb)
Drive something away
Elmer:
Where’s Clyde?
Estel:
They run him off again for playin' that banjer again.
- Water or Soil Wash Away (noun/verb, farming)
Agricultural use
Earl:
That run off from that gullywarsher left with half my topsoil.
variations: runned off, runnin’ off, ran off
★ In rural conversation, context tells you which meaning is meant. Around farmers, "run off" often refers to rainwater or erosion, while in everyday talk it’s more about people or animals leaving suddenly. ★
Origin
From the literal action of running away or causing something to run away. The agricultural sense comes from the way rainwater "runs off" fields and takes soil with it. All uses have deep roots in English, with "run off" appearing in print since the 1500s.
Notes
The phrase is flexible - it can be used casually for people ("he run off to the store"), for animals ("the cat run off"), or for land and water management. In Appalachian speech, "run off" often uses the past tense "run" instead of "ran."
Say It Like a Southerner
Say "run" with a soft "uh" vowel, and "off" with the vowel flattened toward "awf." In quick speech it can sound like "runnawf." Tone and pacing depend on meaning - fast and sharp if someone’s fleeing, steady if you’re talking about rainwater.
Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...
When something leaves fast, we usually say it 'took off'. But if you want something to get away from you, you wanna holler 'git' if you want to 'run it off.' This one is definitely still in use.