We are hitting the road on another adventure! Well, it’s just an article, but you get the point. Learning a language is a long and arduous process, but it’s easier when made fun. One cool thing about English is all the varied expressions it uses to describe daily happenings. There seem to be an interesting (or suspicious) amount of terms derived from cars and driving, as you could see in parts 1 and 2. In today’s article, I intended to describe even more of these kinds of expressions. However, I realized a lot of these are a bit more specific than your average terms.
Still, these are useful, so why not give them a try? These are 10 more words and expressions about driving and cars … oh, and some can be used in other situations too. Enjoy!
Fender Bender
Making a “whoopsy”
This term is very helpful in the specific case that one gets into a minor car accident. It’s not quite a “wreck” but there is a little bit of damage. It’s less common, but sometimes this expression can be used to refer to a minor accident off of the road, too.
Hits & accidents
- Terry got into a fender bender last night on the highway. I sure hope he wasn’t drinking.
- Sometimes we get into little bumps and fender benders that we have to overcome.
Crash Course / Collision Course
On the road to chaos
In some cases, these two expressions can have a similar meaning. Being on a collision course (or a crash course) towards something is like being on the road to disaster. This danger can be on an actual road or on a metaphorical “course” in life. Something bad is coming, and there will be conflict if nothing is done to stop it.
In other contexts, a crash course can specifically be a highly intensive academic course or class. Just like this channel I love on YouTube called Crash Course! I’m sure you all will love it if you don’t already.
A crashing lesson
- When the truck’s emergency brake failed, it went on a collision course down the hill until it eventually hit a wall.
- If we don’t put John and Michael into separate classrooms, they are going to be on a collision course until one of them throws the first punch.
- I’m taking a crash course next week on thermodynamics. Wish me luck!
Hit the Road
Go away! Or not
“Hit the road, Jack!” Pretty much everyone knows this song, and by consequence, the meaning of those famous words. Saying this can be the same as telling someone to leave or go away. Usually, though, the meaning has to do with traveling or beginning a trip.
Get going
- You need to hit the road, Jack. I don’t want you around here anymore.
- Come on, kids! Let’s hit the road. Disneyland isn’t coming to us.
Get the Show on the Road
It’s showtime!
Following the theme of roads, here’s another useful expression to bring up. When someone says, get the show on the road, it means to begin some process or to proceed with it. The “show” is normally a reference to something important like a major event, a meeting, a procedure, and so on. Sometimes, it’s used in a similar sense to “hit the road,” or in other words, let’s start this trip!
Move along, now
- We need to get the show on the road, so don’t worry about the microphone. You can start without it.
- Come on, kids! Let’s get this show on the road. Disneyland won’t wait for us.
Joyride / Joy Ride
Bad joy
Joyriding is such a “joy!” Well, for some. Going on a joyride usually involves stealing a car or using a car that doesn’t belong to the driver. The new driver may do other illegal activities with the car or just use it to ride around with friends without any particular motive. This obviously isn’t a joy for whoever got their car stolen.
Riding dirty
- Carla loves to joyride in other people’s cars. One day she’ll get caught.
Road Hog
The hateful hog
A road hog is someone who drives in multiple lanes and likes to take up lots of space on the road. This recklessness usually puts other drivers in danger, but it is always super annoying. Road hogs are normally careless drivers or intentionally trying to get in others’ ways. The verb version of this is to“hog the road.”
Danger, danger, space taker
- Don’t be a road hog, let the other drivers pass.
- I really wish that guy would quit hogging the road. It’s so dangerous.
Road Rage
Raging in the machine
Do you have road rage? Oh, it’s such an exhilarating disease! Just kidding. Road rage is exactly what it sounds like. This is when someone gets intensely angry, filled with rage while driving on the road. They usually perform such behaviors as honking excessively, speeding, and doing dangerous maneuvers to get around people. Road ragers may also yell or make obscene gestures at other drivers, and more. Doesn’t that just sound pleasant?!
They call me “angry driver”
- Why do they keep honking? Just let the poor lady cross the street. Everybody’s got road rage these days.
Hit and Run
Left to hurt
This is probably the most controversial expression on this here list, if there is such a thing. A hit and run is what happens when a car hits another car or person, and then “runs” or drives away. The person at fault often drives away out of fear, but the accident oftentimes causes serious injury, property damage, or even death in the saddest cases.
This nature of “cause damage and flee the scene” is sometimes used in the context of relationships. A hit and run in this sense can mean that someone had relations (usually sexual) with another and left without saying anything. A similar expression in these cases is “hit and quit.”
Whether it’s a car or a relationship, the impact on the “victim” has a familiar feeling of being abandoned and vulnerable.
Fleeing the scene
- Did you hear the crash last night? I know, it was a terrible hit and run.
- Chuck is an infamous ladies’ man. You better prepare for a hit and run. then.
Hotwire
Breaking in hot
H-o-t-w-i-r-e, Hotwire.com! No, not that kind of hotwire. Normally, this word is used to describe a crime where someone uses the electric circuits of a car to start it without a key. This is a useful skill for when one loses their keys, but it is normally performed to steal a car. Wow, this part 3 is a little dark, eh?
One can also hotwire a system or program. In this sense, it’s not so much about stealing as it is about figuring out how to break into something for your own advantage. In an informal sense, it can have a similar meaning to “hack” or “breaking a code.”
Cracking the code
- Vanessa is a professional car thief. She has hotwired everything from Mitsubishis to Bentleys.
- My company’s new interface is very complex, but I’m sure I can hotwire it and figure it out within the week.
Pumped (up) / Gassed (up)
Fill ‘er up!
Similar to pumping gas into an engine, being pumped up is feeling full of excitement and energy. It’s how I imagine a car must feel after going to the gas station. This expression works as pumped up or simply pumped. A similar term is gassed up, which is feeling high energy and excitement too. This is different from simply feeling gassed though, which is the exact opposite, for some reason.
A gassy tank
- The kids are so pumped about going to Disneyland. I’m sure it will be tons of fun.
- Many athletes like listening to music to get pumped up before a game.
- Let’s get gassed up, you guys! The game is about to start.
- We’ve been traveling all day long, I’m totally gassed. Can we please take a break?
That’s it, you guys! Thank you for reading and I hope you learned some new phrases. How would you use these in your own sentences? What is your favorite expression about cars and driving? Tell us about it. And, as always, take care of each other. Peace!
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