free ride

noun

1. Informal. something obtained without effort or cost:

   The fact that you're the general's sondoesn't mean you'll get a free ride in the army.

2. Stud Poker. a round of betting in which each player checks and therefore receives another card without having to contribute any chips to the pot.

Word History and Origins

Origin of free ride¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Sixty people had called a hotline that offered to give people a free ride to the polls to vote early.

From Salon

In her daughter’s documentary, Ethel conceded that she had endured “a lot of loss” but added: “Nobody gets a free ride. ... So you have your wits about you and dig in and do what you can.”

From Los Angeles Times

“The automakers’ free ride is over,” said Pete Huffman, a senior attorney at NRDC.

From Seattle Times

Kids who jumped the train for a free ride would curl their middle fingers to mimic Kalili’s injured hand, giving other train-jumpers the all-clear, said Steve Sue, who researched shaka for his documentary.

From Seattle Times

Under Biden, the IRS has been able to start reversing the historical free ride on tax compliance enjoyed by corporations and the rich.

From Los Angeles Times