Fill in the blank with the correct phrasal verb from the options given below:-
Do not _____your children in front of their friends.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → run down
Run down means to criticise someone unfairly, to speak of a person as if he or she is worthless. Parents are advised not to criticise their children in front of their friends, which would hurt and embarrass them.
Example: He is always running down his colleagues.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: run up — Incorrect. Run up means to let a bill or debt grow large.
Example: He ran up a huge phone bill.
Option 3: run over — Incorrect. Run over means to hit a person or animal with a vehicle, or to go over something quickly.
Example: The dog was nearly run over by a truck.
Option 4: run out — Incorrect. Run out means to be used up, or to have no more of something (run out of).
Example: We have run out of sugar.
The following words have also been asked in other CUET (UG) English papers:
| Word | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| run up | 12-05 S2 | – | – | – | – |
| run down | – | – | – | 18-06 S2 | – |