burn rubber

Idioms

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Drivers draw crowds of spectators as they perform stunts such as “doughnuts” — spinning their cars in circles until their tires burn rubber marks on the pavement.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2025

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 • Oct. 30, 2024

The tires never break loose, they never burn rubber.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 9, 2022

The Patriots ran 89 offensive plays last week, gained 35 first downs and did everything but burn rubber as they sped off to a 31-7 lead against Denver.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 11, 2012

We watch him burn rubber as he takes off down the parking lot.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023