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handbrake turn

British  

noun

  1. a turn sharply reversing the direction of a vehicle by speedily applying the handbrake while turning the steering wheel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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Playing on the title, it opens with a big gospel organ and a massed chorus, before a handbrake turn into lip-smacking rap.

From BBC May 8, 2026

It is a handbrake turn after Baby Reindeer, but Gunning says the script was "beautiful" and she wanted to be involved "in the special charity".

From BBC Dec. 23, 2025

But many investors do view the UK's handbrake turn as a potential gamechanger.

From Reuters Oct. 18, 2022

It didn’t feature a ship insulting the laws of physics by doing a handbrake turn in the middle of the ocean.

From The Guardian Aug. 8, 2019

But they did not so much take their foot off the gas as apply the handbrake, turn off the engine and throw the key out of the window.

From The Guardian Jun. 5, 2015

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