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Definition |
to continue operating with very little energy remaining |
Examples |
1) The marathon runner was running on fumes by
the time he reached the finish line. 2) He felt like he was
running on fumes during the
presentation. |
Etymology |
The term originated from the literal
meaning of vehicles running on fumes, where "fumes" refer to the vapors
of a nearly empty fuel tank. |
Synonyms |
stretching thin, struggling to keep going |
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