General
burn rubber
What does burn rubber mean?
By extension, to do anything in a great hurry.
"Burn rubber or we'll miss the show."
Origin
1950s American hot-rod and drag-racing slang, literal in origin — flooring the throttle made the tires spin and smoke, leaving rubber on the road. It spread quickly through greaser car culture into general teen talk.
Frequently asked questions
What does burn rubber mean?
It means to accelerate hard enough to spin and smoke the tires, or more loosely, to leave somewhere very fast.
Where did burn rubber come from?
It comes from 1950s American hot-rod and drag-racing culture, describing the literal smoke and rubber left when drivers floored the gas.
Is burn rubber still used?
Yes, it remains common in car culture and casual speech, though its roots are firmly in the 1950s rod scene.
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