ride (redirected from ride the rails)

an easy/smooth ride

a bumpy/rough ride - a difficult time. It has taken years to set up a support network without adequate funding. It hasn't been an easy ride.

See also: easy, smooth

a bumpy/rough ride

a difficult time. Government plans to cut sick pay had a rough ride in the House of Commons. The construction industry is in for a bumpy ride next year.

See also: rough

come/go along for the ride

to join in an activity without playing an important part in it. My husband is speaking at the dinner and I'm just going along for the ride.

See also: along, come

a free ride

an opportunity or advantage that someone gets without having done anything to deserve it. Just because he was the boss's son didn't mean Tim got a free ride.

See also: free

let something ride

to not take action to change something wrong or unpleasant. Don't panic about low sales. Let it ride for a while till we see if business picks up.

See also: let

ride (on) a/the wave

to become involved with and get advantages from opinions or activities which have become very common or popular. She came to power riding on a wave of personal popularity. (often + of)

See also: wave

ride herd on someone/something (American)

to be responsible for controlling a group of people and their actions. The new editor will ride herd on the staff, checking on the overall policy and tone of the paper.

ride on the back of something

to use something successful which already exists or has already happened in order to achieve something else. Poetry performances are riding on the back of the popularity of stand-up comedy.

See also: back

ride out/weather the storm

to continue to exist and not be harmed during a very difficult period. When smaller companies were going bankrupt, the big companies with wider interests managed to ride out the storm. It remains to be seen if the President will weather the political storm caused by his remarks.

See also: storm, weather

ride roughshod over something/someone

to act in the way you want to, ignoring rules, traditions, or other people's wishes. They accused the government of riding roughshod over parliamentary procedure. He cannot be allowed to ride roughshod over his colleagues with his ambitious plans.

See also: over

ride the crest of a wave

be on the crest of a wave - to be very successful so that many good things happen to you very quickly. Our local team are riding the crest of a wave with their third win this season. (usually in continuous tenses)

See also: crest, wave

take someone for a ride

to cheat or deceive someone. I trusted him but he took me for a ride.

See also: take

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along for the ride

involved only for the enjoyment of it. My husband is speaking at the dinner and I'm just along for the ride.

Usage notes: often used with go or come: The city council was happy to go along for the ride and do nothing when times were good.

See also: along

ride a wave of something

to be helped by being connected to something attractive or interesting. The president rode a wave of good feeling among voters that made it impossible for him to lose the election.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of ride a wave (= to stand on a board moving across the rolling surface of the sea)

See also: wave

ride someone's coattails

to use your connection with someone successful to achieve success yourself. I don't think she would get promoted without riding her boss's coattails. My opponent is riding the coattails of the popular governor of Massachusetts.

ride on something

to depend on the result of something else. Who could have predicted that the result of a presidential election would ride on a court's decision?

ride out something

to continue to work or exist through something difficult or dangerous. He rode out the recession very well, and, in fact, his business actually grew. There was a big storm, but the ship managed to ride it out.

ride roughshod over someone/something

to act without caring about how you will effect someone or something. He was a bully and rode roughshod over his workers whenever he felt they weren't working hard enough.

See also: over

ride up

to slowly move higher, out of position. The sweater would ride up in back and she'd have to yank it down — up and down and up and down all day. One problem with the design of seat belts is that the lap belt can ride up over the stomach and injure the passenger.

Usage notes: usually said about clothing

take someone for a ride

to cheat or deceive someone. I trusted him to invest money for me, but he took me for a ride.

See also: take