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Last year, a lot of hospitals in the world ran out of N95 masks and medical oxygen to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, while the world is still trying to get this infectious disease under control, some countries are facing the shortage of natural resources, such as coal and natural gas. What would happen if something or someone has " run out of steam " ? 

The phrase " run out of steam " is related to the old-fashioned steam engines which gradually slowed down and then stopped when the fire that powered the boiler was too weak to produce any steam. 

Its figurative meaning first appeared in the early 19th century. Nowadays it means that someone or something has lost the energy, motivation or enthusiasm to continue. 

The Marathon runner ran out of steam in the latter half of the race.

The company's business could be running out of steam

The phrase " run out of gas " is sometimes used instead. " Gas " is the short form for gasoline in American English. In British English, this kind of car fuel is called " petrol " . 

去年,全球許多醫院都缺乏N95口罩和醫療氧氣,以應對2019 新型冠狀病毒病大流行。今年,當全世界依然在努力控制這個傳染病之際,有些國家面對著煤炭和天然氣等天然資源的短缺問題。如果某些東西或某人已經run out of steam,究竟會發生甚麼事情? 

Run out of steam這個語句與舊式蒸氣機有關。如果發動鍋爐的火太弱,以致未能產生任何蒸氣,那麼,這些蒸氣機就會漸漸減速,然後停止不動。

它的比喻意義首次在19世紀初出現。如今,它意指某人或某些東西失去活力、動機熱誠繼續做下去。

這個馬拉松跑手在下半場的比賽就筋疲力盡ran out of steam)了。

這家公司的經營可能失去動力(running out of steam)。

人們有時改用run out of gas。Gas(汽油)是美式英語gasoline的縮寫形式。在英式英語, 這種汽車燃料叫做petrol。 

  
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