to thumb a ride
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To ask for a lift in a motor car by holding out the hand with the thumb pointing in the direction in which one wants to go.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to thumb a ride” mean?
To ask for a lift in a motor car by holding out the hand with the thumb pointing in the direction in which one wants to go.
Is “to thumb a ride” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.