🗓️ Idiom: Running on Empty (verb)
💬 Meaning
- Continuing to work even though you are very tired or have no energy left.
- Doing your best but with little strength or motivation remaining.
🧠 Example Sentences
- After working late all week, she was running on empty by Friday afternoon.
- The whole team is running on empty after the big project deadline.
- If you never take a break, you’ll keep running on empty and lose focus.
🏛️ Origin
The idiom “running on empty” comes from driving. When a car runs on empty, the fuel tank is almost dry, and the car can soon stop. People began using this phrase in the 20th century to describe exhaustion — when someone keeps going even though they have no energy left.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
After working for ten hours straight, I was completely ________.
Answer
running on empty
2. Choose the correct answer:
What does “running on empty” mean?
a) Having lots of new ideas
b) Working hard with plenty of energy
c) Feeling tired but still continuing
Answer
c) Feeling tired but still continuing
3. Change the sentence using “running on empty”:
“She kept working this week even though she was completely exhausted.”
Answer
She was running on empty this week.
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