lose the run of oneself

English

Verb

lose the run of oneself (third-person singular simple present loses the run of oneself, present participle losing the run of oneself, simple past and past participle lost the run of oneself)

1. (Ireland, colloquial, figurative) get carried away; lose one's self-control; exceed one's limits or limitations
   • 1986 Winter, Eileen Kane, "Stereotypes and Irish Identity: Mental Illness as a Cultural Frame", Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review Vol.75 No.300 p.549:

     Belief in a high incidence of mental illness, as well as beliefs in high rates of alcoholism and suicide, may be metaphors for a culturally understandable and excusable `losing the run' of oneself.

   • 1993 December 16, Seán Power, “Interpretation (Amendment) Bill, 1993 [ Seanad : Second Stage.]”, in Dáil debates:

     I think we have gone over the top on this, that we are losing the run of ourselves [...] and that it would be nice to see a little bit of common sense in the debate for a change.

   • 2015 February 4, Paul Murphy "Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed)" Dáil debates

     The vast majority of people who are in debt are not those who theoretically "lost the run of themselves" in the course of the boom. Their only crime was to provide for their very basic need to have a home.

   • 2017 September 26, Michael Fitzmaurice, “UK Withdrawal from the EU: Statements”, in Dáil debates:

     In my opinion, Europe lost the run of itself. When we joined the EU and traded goods, it was a great thing, but it basically went from that to trying to own people.