burn rubber

Idioms and Phrases

Drive very fast, as in We'll have to burn rubber to get there in time . In this bit of automotive jargon, the rubber refers to tires that heat up when they rotate suddenly at great speed. [ Slang ; mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

Although it was too crowded to do full spin-outs, cars still spun their tires to burn rubber, to the cheer of crowds.

From Los Angeles Times

The racetrack’s last Thursday Night Thunder — where enthusiasts can bring their own cars to race on the drag strip or burn rubber in the burnout box — is set for Dec. 5.

From Los Angeles Times

The tires never break loose, they never burn rubber.

From Seattle Times

Other meetups have turned into full-blown takeovers down the street, where drivers block the intersection late at night as they burn rubber.

From Los Angeles Times

For as little as $2,500 a month, you can burn rubber in a 522-horsepower, 390-kW Taycan 4S with rear-wheel drive.

From The Verge