"put the pedal to the metal" meaning in English

See put the pedal to the metal in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Audio: En-au-put the pedal to the metal.ogg [Australia] Forms: puts the pedal to the metal [present, singular, third-person], putting the pedal to the metal [participle, present], put the pedal to the metal [participle, past], put the pedal to the metal [past]
Etymology: Mid-1970s, originated in car racing. Head templates: {{en-verb|put<,,put> the pedal to the metal}} put the pedal to the metal (third-person singular simple present puts the pedal to the metal, present participle putting the pedal to the metal, simple past and past participle put the pedal to the metal)
  1. (idiomatic) To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent. Tags: idiomatic Categories (topical): Automotive Synonyms: floor it, redline, put pedal to the metal Related terms: pedal to the metal, balls to the wall
    Sense id: en-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal-en-verb-z-4tD73c Disambiguation of Automotive: 78 22 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, English predicates, English quotations with omitted translation, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 65 35 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 70 30 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 80 20 Disambiguation of English predicates: 71 29 Disambiguation of English quotations with omitted translation: 68 32 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 69 31
  2. (by extension) To exert maximum effort. Tags: broadly Synonyms: go all out
    Sense id: en-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal-en-verb-cDjjAOCw
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Translations (make a rapid accelleration): sparke sømmet i bund (Danish), mettre le pied au plancher (French)
Disambiguation of 'make a rapid accelleration': 55 45

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for put the pedal to the metal meaning in English (4.1kB)

{
  "etymology_text": "Mid-1970s, originated in car racing.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "puts the pedal to the metal",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "putting the pedal to the metal",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "put the pedal to the metal",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "put the pedal to the metal",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "put<,,put> the pedal to the metal"
      },
      "expansion": "put the pedal to the metal (third-person singular simple present puts the pedal to the metal, present participle putting the pedal to the metal, simple past and past participle put the pedal to the metal)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "65 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "70 30",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "80 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "71 29",
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          "_dis": "68 32",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "69 31",
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          "parents": [
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            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Automotive",
          "orig": "en:Automotive",
          "parents": [
            "Transport",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Coordinate term: give it the gun"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Loyd E. Hill, Marvin R. Query, Reap the Wild Seeds, Xlibris Corporation, page 74",
          "text": "I released the brakes, smashed the clutch and switched the transmission case into low gear, then put the pedal to the metal again throwing the car into what is known as a “moonshine spin”.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent."
      ],
      "id": "en-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal-en-verb-z-4tD73c",
      "links": [
        [
          "gas pedal",
          "gas pedal"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "89 11",
          "word": "pedal to the metal"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "89 11",
          "word": "balls to the wall"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "floor it"
        },
        {
          "word": "redline"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "89 11",
          "word": "put pedal to the metal"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007, Donna Carter, 10 Smart Things Women Can Do to Build a Better Life, Harvest House Publishers, page 22",
          "text": "There are times for all of us when we have to put the pedal to the metal. Businesspeople and students have deadlines. Parents have periods of time when they don't get breaks because their partners are unavailable or they have no partners.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To exert maximum effort."
      ],
      "id": "en-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal-en-verb-cDjjAOCw",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(by extension) To exert maximum effort."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "go all out"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-put the pedal to the metal.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/54/En-au-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal.ogg/En-au-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/En-au-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "_dis1": "55 45",
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "make a rapid accelleration",
      "word": "sparke sømmet i bund"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "55 45",
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "make a rapid accelleration",
      "word": "mettre le pied au plancher"
    }
  ],
  "word": "put the pedal to the metal"
}

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  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English predicates",
    "English quotations with omitted translation",
    "English rhyming phrases",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English terms with quotations",
    "English verbs",
    "en:Automotive"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Mid-1970s, originated in car racing.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "puts the pedal to the metal",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "putting the pedal to the metal",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "put the pedal to the metal",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "put the pedal to the metal",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "put<,,put> the pedal to the metal"
      },
      "expansion": "put the pedal to the metal (third-person singular simple present puts the pedal to the metal, present participle putting the pedal to the metal, simple past and past participle put the pedal to the metal)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "pedal to the metal"
    },
    {
      "word": "balls to the wall"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Coordinate term: give it the gun"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Loyd E. Hill, Marvin R. Query, Reap the Wild Seeds, Xlibris Corporation, page 74",
          "text": "I released the brakes, smashed the clutch and switched the transmission case into low gear, then put the pedal to the metal again throwing the car into what is known as a “moonshine spin”.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "gas pedal",
          "gas pedal"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "floor it"
        },
        {
          "word": "redline"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007, Donna Carter, 10 Smart Things Women Can Do to Build a Better Life, Harvest House Publishers, page 22",
          "text": "There are times for all of us when we have to put the pedal to the metal. Businesspeople and students have deadlines. Parents have periods of time when they don't get breaks because their partners are unavailable or they have no partners.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To exert maximum effort."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(by extension) To exert maximum effort."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "go all out"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-put the pedal to the metal.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/54/En-au-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal.ogg/En-au-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/En-au-put_the_pedal_to_the_metal.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "put pedal to the metal"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "make a rapid accelleration",
      "word": "sparke sømmet i bund"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "make a rapid accelleration",
      "word": "mettre le pied au plancher"
    }
  ],
  "word": "put the pedal to the metal"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.