# put the pedal to the metal

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/put-the-pedal-to-the-metal
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To press the gas pedal to the maximum extent.

## Examples

- Put the pedal to the metal to arrive on time.
- We were running late for the flight, so he put the pedal to the metal to reach the airport.
- Realizing the deadline was only minutes away, the driver put the pedal to the metal to navigate the empty highway before the clock struck twelve.

## Origin

Attested from approximately 1976, the phrase originated in the context of car racing. It describes the physical act of depressing the accelerator pedal until it meets the metal floorboard of the vehicle.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.