Idioms

applecart

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(one's) applecart

One's plans or goals. I'm worried that not making the Olympic team after so many years of hard work would totally upset Ben's applecart. Look, he's not trying to upset her applecart—he just needs to meet later in the day now, that's all. I had lofty investment goals for the year, but losing my job totally upset my applecart.
See also: applecart

upset (one's) applecart

To ruin or interfere with one's plans or goals. Look, he's not trying to upset your applecart or anything—he just needs to meet later in the day now, that's all. I had some ideas on how they could improve things, but I didn't want to upset their applecart this late in development.
See also: applecart, upset

upset the applecart

To ruin or interfere with one's plans or goals. Look, he's not trying to upset the applecart—he just needs to meet later in the day now, that's all.
See also: applecart, upset
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

upset the applecart

Spoil carefully laid plans, as in Now don't upset the applecart by revealing where we're going. This expression started out as upset the cart, used since Roman times to mean "spoil everything." The precise idiom dates from the late 1700s.
See also: applecart, upset
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

upset the applecart

If someone or something upsets the applecart, they do something which causes trouble or which spoils a satisfactory situation. It will only upset the applecart and confuse the issue if the topic is raised too soon. Note: You can also say that someone or something overturns the applecart. She still has the power to overturn the applecart by the sheer force of her personality and vocabulary.
See also: applecart, upset
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

upset the applecart, to

To ruin carefully laid plans. This metaphor, without the modifying “apple,” dates from Roman times. Both Plautus and Lucian used “You’ve upset the cart” to mean “You’ve spoiled everything.” Specifying “applecart” dates from the late eighteenth century, and the changed phrase is the one that survives. Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1796) suggests that “applecart” stood for the human body, and that the phrase meant to throw a person down, but that interpretation was either mistaken or the particular symbolism died out.
See also: to, upset
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
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References in periodicals archive
But it's a good one, it's a former club and with Debbie's whole family being Middlesbrough supporters, we'll just have to upset the applecart, won't we?"
Graeme Jones wants to 'upset the applecart' vs Middlesbrough in a game that's special for 3 reasons; The Luton boss wasn't surprised the Boro game was picked for Sky TV coverage
Even as global markets were coming around to believe that real progress was being made in the US-China trade negotiations and that a deal was imminent, Trump's tweets - as they so often have recently - upset the applecart and sent investors scurrying for cover.
Trump's tweets spook markets: There we go again
"Occasionally, he could cause problems where they weren't necessary and you always felt there was a possibility that he could upset the applecart.
Tosh on Bellamy/Savage; Toshack has talked about the disruptive nature of the former Wales duo in his autobiography
But the father-of-two has made a bloody career out of upsetting the applecart.
Davis is ready for the beast of a challenge
But there is one more applecart for the Hayemaker to upset when he launches his comeback, after three-and-ahalf years out of the ring, at London's O2 arena tonight.
DAVID: BRAWL OVER NOW
1 MERTHYR produced a five-star Southern League Premier fightback against a Hitchin side, who looked on course to upset the applecart in the opening 35 minutes.
Fantastic five for Martyrs
"We are still in the tie." If TNS can manage to upset the applecart, they will face a third qualifying round match against either Irish side Dundalk or BATE Borisov from Belarus.
Harrison's sights set on surprise; VIDEOTON (1) v TNS (0) SOSTOI STADIUM 7.30pm
He added that the political strategy envisaged by Asif Zardari upset Imran Khan's "applecart and his dreams, which he was seeing in the broad day light to become prime minister, shattered badly".
Sharjeel criticises Imran Khan over indecent language
Mr Jones wasn't afraid to upset the applecart if he believed in something.
Loss leaves city a poorer place; VIEWPOINT
The Steelmen lost 23-22 at Eugene Cross Park on March 30, 2013, and again confirmed their quality in coming desperately near to upsetting the Premiership applecart.
Drovers put end to Steelmen's fine run
According to information received here, Oman's outfit upset the applecart of Ah Hilal in a pulsating Group A match.
Saham stun Al Hilal at GCC tourney
If it misfires, however, you may upset the applecart, and then your plans will be spoiled like a rotten apple.
Wit and wisdom: from The old farmer's Almanac, always 'useful, with a pleasant degree of humor'
If you are so insecure that a brown bottle upsets your applecart, seek therapy.
Pop goes the nitrite
" Saand represents someone who upsets the applecart of corruption," says Dhar.
LAUGH RIOT INSPIRED BY EUROPEAN CLASSICS
he only reason I can think of - which I am sure is the reason - is they do not want to upset any club's applecart.
New England boss delay is puzzling Lineker
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