I bought a cheap winter rat to drive through the snow.
winter rat
idiomAn old, unattractive automobile, purchased for little money, to be driven during brutal Great Lakes winters while the owner's "good" car remains garaged and protected from corrosive road salt for the season.
Origin
disputed originBelieved to have originated in or around Syracuse, New York.
He keeps his expensive sports car in the garage and drives a rusty winter rat until the spring thaw.
To preserve his vintage vehicle from the corrosive effects of road salt, he purchased a battered winter rat for his daily commute during the harsh months.
- 01
buy straw hats in winter
Of stocks, to buy when both demand and price are low, so as to sell when demand and price are high.
- 02
dead of winter
The middle of the winter, characterized by being particularly cold.
- 03
lab rat
A student or employee who spends a great deal of time working in a laboratory.
- 04
poor as a rat
Synonym of poor as a church mouse.
- 05
rat run
A small, usually minor road used by a significant amount of traffic as a short cut or to avoid congestion on more major routes.
- 06
smell a rat
To sense something suspicious.
- 07
summer and winter
To spend extended periods of time with; to test.
- 08
winter wonderland
A beautiful scene of snow and ice.