Railroad Idioms: Test Your Knowledge
• See which railroad idioms you know, phrases that involve rails and tracks
1. Employees at that company get huge salaries
for little work. They’re certainly riding the ___.
A. train line
B. fast track
C. gravy train
D. third rail
gravy train, n. phr.,
easy way of earning money, often without working hard. Often used with “riding” and “get on.” Likely from railroad slang.
2. My cat always wants
to eat. She has a ___ mind.
A. same-track
B. one-track
C. third-rail
D. single-rail
one-track mind, n. phr.,
a preoccupation with one activity. A person who has a one-track mind always thinks about only one subject or activity. This idiom comes from trains that run only on one track or in one direction.
3. Our marketing plan went ___ when our manager quit.
A. away from track
B. down the train
C. out the train car
D. off the rails
off the rails, adj.
phr., (1) not working or functioning correctly; (2) (people) crazy and misbehaving. From railroads, when a train goes off the rails.
4. Our city needs to fix the roads, but no one wants to raise taxes. The road conditions are a political ___.
A. third rail
B. power track
C. railroad tie
D. train line
third rail, n. phr.,
an issue that is dangerous or risky for politicians. This idiom comes from railroads where a third rail carries electricity and can kill.
5. Our company finances became a ___ after our accountant quit.
A. train car
B. jumped track
C. train wreck
D. track line
train wreck, n. phr.,
a very bad situation or outcome. This idiom comes from railroads. The phrase originally meant a bad train accident or crash.
6. We’re painting our house this weekend. It takes a long time, but the work is ___ along. We’ll be done by Sunday night.
A. causing
B. taking
C. growing
D. chugging
chug along, phrasal
verb, to continue or move slowly, but steadily. This phrase comes from early trains, which made chugging noises.
7. “Bill wants to become our company’s new manager? That train has left the station.”
The company ___.
A. started seeking a
new manager
B. already found one
C. already has one
D. needs one
That train has left the station, clause, (1) the opportunity has passed; (2) the process is already underway. An idiom with the same meaning: that ship has sailed (sail here =
depart).
8. If Katrina came from the “right side of the tracks,” she probably ___.
A. is shopping
B. grew up poor
C. grew up in a nice home
D. never gets lost
right side of the tracks, n. phr., the good or wealthy part of a city. Opposite: the wrong side of the tracks. This idiom pictures wealthy and poor parts of a city being divided by railroad tracks.
9. Barry didn’t hear the phone when the customer called, so he lost the sale. He was asleep at the ___
again.
A. track
B. rail
C. switch
D. tie
asleep at the switch, adj.
phr., not paying attention, not doing one’s job. This idiom comes from railroads. Workers used to have to switch trains from one track to another using a lever. If they forgot, trains could crash. #LearnEnglish #Railroad
10. The thief knew the police were about to catch him. He knew it was the ___.
A. final stop
B. end of the line
C. transfer point
D. last change
end of the line, n. phr.,
the conclusion or final outcome for someone or something. This idiom pictures the final stop of a train line.
Next Week’s Topic: Foods for Summertime—Idioms, Vocabulary, and More
People enjoy special foods in the summer, because the foods are fresh then, because people are at summer events, or just because it is too hot! So come and learn some summer English. Learning is much easier when you’re studying something you’re interested in, and most people love good foods and eating.
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