apple-cart
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The human structure, so far as the phrases with which it is connected are concerned. As "I’ll upset your APPLE-CART," "down with his APPLE-CART."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “apple-cart” mean?
The human structure, so far as the phrases with which it is connected are concerned. As "I’ll upset your APPLE-CART," "down with his APPLE-CART."
Is “apple-cart” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.