hitch a ride

Idioms  

1. Also, thumb a ride. Solicit a free ride, especially by hitchhiking. For example, I've no car; can I hitch a ride home with you? or He was hoping to thumb a ride to the stadium. The verb hitch here alludes to walking unevenly, presumably to hop into a car or truck; raising one's thumb is the traditional signal for stopping a car on the road. [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

Here’s how you can hitch a ride on Elon Musk’s rocket company when it begins trading in June.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

It's also used at shipping ports to kill pests before they can hitch a ride to other parts of the world.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2024

Ultra high-definition cameras from a UK start-up will hitch a ride to the International Space Station later.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2024

Now, researchers say the bird may hitch a ride by listening for very low frequency sounds humans can’t hear—one of only a few species known to do so.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 11, 2023

As if she needed confirmation, Gale scampered along the railing and jumped on her shoulder, ready to hitch a ride.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• cruise
• drift
• drive
• float
• go
• go with
• guide
• move
• sit
• travel