to run like a million dollars
- idiom
- Informal
:
funcionar de maravilla
- Since the update, the computer runs like a million dollars again.
Examples
-
The car ran like a million dollars after the tune-up.
-
Once the mechanic fixed the engine, our boat ran like a million dollars.
-
After a full service, my old motorcycle now runs like a million dollars.
-
After the upgrade, the software runs like a million dollars.
-
After a full service, my old motorcycle now runs like a million dollars.
-
Once the mechanic fixed the engine, our boat ran like a million dollars.
-
Since the update, the computer runs like a million dollars again.
Synonyms
22
2.7
Working without problems or interruptions
Antonyms
How Well
- Informal
22
2.7
83
3.0
194
3.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
run + like + a + million + dollar
The verb 'run' (to operate) combined with 'like' (comparison) and 'a million dollars' (large monetary value) gives a clear metaphorical sense of operating with very high quality; a learner who knows the parts can often infer a positive, high-performing meaning. However, the link from monetary worth to smooth functioning is a figurative, hyperbolic extension rather than a literal compositional meaning, so the exact sense ('function extremely well') is not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
The idiom run like a million dollars may come from the image of a very expensive, high-quality machine. If something costs a million dollars it would run very smoothly, so the phrase means 'to function extremely well'.