English Reference
Idiom idiom

hit the accelerator


Synonym of hit the gas.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

Hit the accelerator so we are not late.

CONTEXTUAL

When the road finally cleared, she hit the accelerator to pass the slow truck in front of her.

COMPLEX

Realizing they were falling behind schedule, the driver hit the accelerator, pushing the vehicle to its limit to reach the destination before nightfall.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    don't let the door hit you on the way out

    Used as a command to leave in haste, or to indicate that one is glad, or at least unmoved, to see the addressed person leaving.

  2. 02

    fall out of the ugly tree and hit every branch

    To become extremely unattractive.

  3. 03

    hit a lick

    To earn a large sum of money in a short amount of time, usually illegally.

  4. 04

    hit a snag

    To encounter an unexpected problem or delay.

  5. 05

    hit a wall

    To come up against an insurmountable problem.

  6. 06

    hit above one's weight

    Alternative form of punch above one's weight.

  7. 07

    hit and run

    A road accident in which a driver hits someone and then drives away without stopping to help or take responsibility.

  8. 08

    hit below one's weight

    Alternative form of punch below one's weight.

Last updated August 10, 2026