wagon (redirected from wagoned)

be on the wagon

someone who is on the wagon has decided not to drink any alcohol for a period of time. He'd been an alcoholic once, but when I met him he'd been on the wagon for about five years.

fall off the wagon

to start drinking alcohol again, especially too much alcohol, after a period when you have not drunk any. Six months later he fell off the wagon in spectacular fashion with a three-day drinking spree.

See also: fall

go on the wagon

be on the wagon - someone who is on the wagon has decided not to drink any alcohol for a period of time. The doctor ordered her to go on the wagon, and she hasn't touched a drop since.

hitch your wagon to someone/something

to try to become successful by becoming involved with someone or something that is already successful or has a good chance of becoming successful. He wisely decided to hitch his wagon to the environmentalist movement, which was then gaining support throughout the country. She hitched her wagon to a rising young star on the music scene.

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circle the wagons

to stop communicating with people not in your group to avoid their ideas or beliefs. Americans are feeling it is an especially good time to spend time with family, to circle the wagons.

Etymology: based on the custom of bringing wagons (= vehicles pulled by horses) into a circle when they are being attacked

See also: circle

off the wagon

drinking alcohol again, after having stopped. If she falls off the wagon again, she'll just have to pick herself up and try to stop drinking.

Usage notes: usually said about someone who has an alcohol problem

on the wagon

on the wagon

not drinking any alcohol, after a period of drinking regularly. He's been on the wagon for ten years now.

Usage notes: usually said about someone who has an alcohol problem

off the wagon