run like a dry creek

English

Etymology

A pun on two senses of run: to flow (as in "running water") and to stand for election.

Verb

run like a dry creek (third-person singular simple present runs like a dry creek, present participle running like a dry creek, simple past ran like a dry creek, past participle run like a dry creek)

1. (simile, US, colloquial, politics) To run for political office with little chance of success.
   • 1952, LIFE, volume 33, number 10, page 49:

     The Scripps-Howard newspapers, which are supporting Eisenhower, criticized Ike for "running like a dry creek."

   • 1997, New Statesman, page 18:

     The last of the six candidates, Stephen Dorrell, did not even get off the starting-blocks. His campaign ran like a dry creek from day one.

   • 2009, W. J. Rorabaugh, The Real Making of the President:

     One Illinois delegate said, "I saw Lodge on television today, and he'll run like a dry creek."

2. (simile, US, colloquial) To run (in various senses) badly or not at all.
   • 1956, American Mercury, volume 83, number 390, page 153:

     Carlyle had a brief trial in the big leagues with the Red Sox and the Yankees. But he ran like a dry creek and was weak of arm.

   • 1985, Jay Richter, Where credit was due: the creation of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank, page 24:

     The League knew little about lobbving and its cash flow ran like a dry creek. Small and big business were against a consumer cooperative bank bill.

   • 1989, David L. Moore, Dark Sky, Dark Land:

     The days stretch ahead, dull and tedious, and the camp seems to be doing nothing, going nowhere, running like a dry creek.

Related terms

• run for the exercise

See also

• could not get elected dogcatcher