IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishback-seat driver
Meaning: A person who gives driving orders when he/she is not the driver.
Example: “My father is the worst back-seat driver; he criticizes every turn I make.”
Origin: When cars were first developed in the 1920s, wealthy car owners would often ride in the back seats, telling their drivers where to go, where to turn, etc. Now such a practice by anyone is seen as intrusive and rude.
More English idioms
- by word of mouth The informal, verbal passing of information from one person to another.
- catch someone's eye To attract someone's visual attention.
- change of heart A reversal of attitude.
- cold feet Too scared to do something.
- cut off one's nose to spite one's face To injure oneself in the process of seeking revenge or attempting to punish someone.
- do an about-face To change one's behavior or mind abruptly and (often) apparently without reason.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
Keep exploring