Idiom Category: Transport & Travel

Idiom Category: Transport & Travel

As much use as a handbrake on a canoe
This idiom is used to describe someone or something as worthless or pointless.
Asleep at the wheel
If someone is asleep at the wheel, they are not doing their job or taking their responsibilities very carefully. 'Asleep at the switch' is an alternative.
Backseat driver
A backseat driver is an annoying person who is fond of giving advice to the person performing a task or doing something, especially when the advice is either wrong or unwelcome.
Beam me up, Scotty
Something someone says when they want to get out of a place or situation, meaning 'Get me out of here!'. (It comes from the TV series and movies Star Trek, though the exact words used were a little different.)
Circle the wagons
(USA) If you circle the wagons, you stop communicating with people who don't think the same way as you to avoid their ideas. It can also mean to bring everyone together to defend a group against an attack.
Climb on the bandwagon
When people climb on the bandwagon they do something because it is popular and everyone else is doing it.
Country mile
(USA) A country mile is used to describe a long distance.
Fall off the back of a lorry
(UK) If someone tries to sell you something that has fallen of the back of a lorry, they are trying to sell you stolen goods.
Fall off the wagon
If someone falls off the wagon, they start drinking after having given up completely for a time.
Fifth wheel
(USA) A fifth wheel is something unnecessary or useless.
Full throttle
If you do something full throttle, you do it with as much speed and energy as you can.
Go play in traffic
This is used as a way of telling someone to go away.
Hit the road
When people hit the road, they leave a place to go somewhere else.
I'll cross that road when I come to it
I'll think about something just when it happens, not in advance.
In high gear
(USA) If something is in high gear, it is in a quick-paced mode. If someone is in high gear, they are feverishly on the fast track.
In the driver's seat
If you are in the driver's seat, you are in charge of something or in control of a situation.
Jump on the bandwagon
If people jump on the bandwagon, they get involved in something that has recently become very popular.
Off the track
If something puts or throws you off your track, it distracts you or keeps you from achieving what you want.
On the wagon
If someone is on the wagon, they have stopped drinking alcohol.
Put the carriage before the horse
If you put the carriage before the horse, you try to do things in the wrong order.
Put the pedal to the metal
If you put the pedal to the metal, you go faster.
Rearrange the deckchairs on the Titanic
(UK) If people are rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, they are making small changes that will have no effect as the project, company, etc, is in very serious trouble.
Reinvent the wheel
If someone reinvents the wheel, they waste their time doing something that has already been done by other people, when they could be doing something more worthwhile.
Right up my alley
If something is right up your alley, it suits you perfectly.
Right up your street
If something is ideal for you, it is right up your street.
Running on fumes
If someone has used all their energy on something, but must continue, they are running on fumes. It is an expression used when driving a car when the needle is on empty but still running. We say it is 'running on fumes'.
Ship came in
If your ship has come in, something very good has happened to you.
Smooth sailing
If something is smooth sailing, then you can progress without difficulty. ('Plain sailing' is also used.)
Squeaky wheel gets the grease
(USA) When people say that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, they mean that the person who complains or protests the loudest attracts attention and service.
Sunday driver
A Sunday driver drives very slowly and makes unexpected manoeuvres.
Take for a test drive
If you take something for a test driver, you try something to see if you like it.
That ship has sailed
A particular opportunity has passed you by when that ship has sailed.
There's never a road without a turning
No situation in life stays the same forever.
Throw someone under the bus
To throw someone under the bus is to get the person in trouble either by placing blame on that person or not standing up for him.
Traffucked
If you are traffucked, you are stuck in heavy traffic and get where you need to be.
Train of thought
A train of thought is a sequence of thoughts, especially when you are talking to someone and you forget what you were going to say.
Whatever floats your boat
When people say this, they mean that you should do whatever makes you happy.
Wheels fall off
When the wheels fall off something, it goes wrong or fails. ('Wheels come off' is an alternative.)
Where the rubber meets the road
(USA) Where the rubber meets the road is the most important point for something, the moment of truth. An athlete can train all day, but the race is where the rubber meets the road and they'll know how good they really are.