rundown
noun /ˈrʌndaʊn 
/
/1An analysis or summary of something by a knowledgeable person: he gave his teammates a rundown on the opposition...
- In typical ‘This Is Your Life’ style, he gave a rundown on Mary's life and times and many others spoke, taking trips down memory lane.
- Our David turned out to be a well informed man who, while in a traffic jam between Jersualem and Tel Aviv, gave me a rundown on the composition of the Knesset and why they had 121 deputies.
- I haven't been able to turn on the shouting heads shows lately without seeing something about it, and I just heard a rundown on NPR this morning.
Synonyms
analysis, review, overview, briefing, brief, sketch, thumbnail sketch, outline, rough idea;
summary, résumé, synopsis, precis, recapitulation, run-through, summarization, summation;
French tour d'horizon
informal low-down, recap
rare conspectus, summa
2A reduction in the productivity or activities of a company or institution: a rundown in the business would be a devastating blow to the local economy...
- The rundown of essential services, particularly health care, have been a source of ongoing resentment and anger throughout the area.
- It was phenomenal that the city was able to turn itself round in such a short space of time, bearing in mind the dramatic rundown in industry.
- If doctors and nurses go from the rural sector then farmers and workers will follow, and that will mean a run-down of our productive sector.
Synonyms
reduction, cut, cutback, decrease, curtailment, drop, decline, diminution
adjective /rʌnˈdaʊn / (usually run-down)
/ (usually run-down)1(Especially of a building or area) in a poor or neglected state after having been prosperous: a run-down Edwardian villa...
- Four of Manchester's communities want the chance to transform neglected and run-down park areas into something everyone in the community can enjoy.
- Dispersal means refugees get dumped in run-down housing areas with no proper facilities and support.
- The organisation specialises in lending for neglected properties, run-down buildings which can be renovated or converted for new use and energy-efficient new homes built ecologically.
1.1(Of a company or industry) in a poor economic state: a run-down business that had been making losses for five years...
- The managing director arrived at the company in 1999 as part of a team that had bought a run-down business which had been making losses for five years.
- This was the beginning of the 20-year cycle, buying run-down catering businesses and building them into success stories.
- But in general, India's infrastructure is as creaking and run-down as ever.
2Tired and rather unwell, especially through overwork: she felt tired and generally run-down...
- I've said more than once in the last few months that I've been feeling tired and run-down and, now that things may be coming to a head, I thought I'd write a little bit more about what has been going on.
- Those times I find myself ready to snap at my son for nothing, feeling run-down and tired, overwhelmed.
- Apart from still being extremely tired and run-down, there is also so much to be done.
Synonyms
unwell, ill, poorly, out of sorts, unhealthy, peaky, not oneself, below par, in bad shape;
tired, debilitated, drained, exhausted, fatigued, enervated, weak, worn out, washed out;
British off, off colour
informal under the weather, crummy
British informal not (feeling) up to snuff, ropy, knackered
Scottish informal wabbit
Australian/New Zealand informal crook
vulgar slang crappy
dated seedy, queer
rare peaked, peakish
