Run Up On

In Southern and Appalachian speech, run up on means to come upon or encounter suddenly. It’s used when someone finds, discovers, or stumbles onto something unexpectedly - from a copper still to a possum in the garden.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #Southern

synonyms: come across, stumble on, find unexpectedly, happen upon, discover

Hillbilly Dude Says...

You’ll hear this one all the time in the country - "We run up on a deer," "They run up on a still," or "I run up on him down by the creek." It just means you come across somethin’ you weren’t expectin’.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

Pronunciation

[RUN up awn] /ˈrʌn ʌp ɔːn/

Meaning & Usage

- To come upon or encounter suddenly (phrasal verb)

Mae:

What got him so riled up?

Earl:

He run up on a copperhead by the woodpile.

Ruby:

Who told on ’em?

Elmer:

Somebody called the law when they run up on the copper pot.

variations: run upon, run up on, run ’pon

★ If you run up on somethin’ in the South, it don’t mean you’re racin’ toward it - it means you found it by accident, and probably wish you hadn’t. ★

Origin and Etymology

Derived from older British and Scots-Irish English expressions like "run upon," meaning "to encounter" or "come across." Settlers carried this phrasing to Appalachia and the rural South, where "upon" naturally softened to "up on." It has appeared in regional storytelling and hunting talk since the 1800s.

Usage Notes

"Run up on" is still heard throughout the rural South and Appalachia, especially in storytelling and casual conversation. It describes sudden or chance encounters - sometimes pleasant, sometimes not.

"We run up on a rattler." - found one unexpectedly.
"They run up on a party down at the creek." - stumbled into it by chance.
"Sheriff run up on ’em makin’ liquor." - caught them in the act.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Does "run up on" ever mean "attack"?

In some modern slang, yes - but in traditional Southern and Appalachian use it simply means "to come across" or "find unexpectedly."

Is it still used today?

Very much so - it’s part of the living dialect, common in rural storytelling and everyday talk.

Where is it most common?

Across the South, Appalachia, and rural areas influenced by Scots-Irish speech patterns.

Is it informal?

Yes - it’s natural in spoken English but rarely appears in formal writing unless used to capture regional voice.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 8). Run Up On. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/run-up-on
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Run Up On." HillbillySlang.com, 8 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/run-up-on.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Run Up On." HillbillySlang.com. November 8, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/run-up-on.

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