[Idiom] BURN RUBBER. - Learn the Art of Moving Quickly in Life

Drive very fast.

When someone says they're going to "Burn rubber," they're not talking about setting fire to a tire. Instead, they refer to driving very fast, as vehicles sometimes leave skid marks—literally burning the rubber of their tires—when accelerating rapidly. This idiom captures the essence of hurrying and can be used not just in the context of driving but whenever speedy action is undertaken.

Example Sentences

1. He burned rubber leaving the parking lot. (hi bɜrnd ˈrʌbər ˈlivɪŋ ðə ˈpɑrkɪŋ ˈlɑt.)

   He left the parking lot very quickly.

2. As soon as the light turned green, she burned rubber. (əz sun əz ðə laɪt tɜrnd ˈgriːn, ʃi bɜrnd ˈrʌbər.)

   She accelerated quickly as soon as the light turned green.

3. Tommy decided to burn rubber to show off his new sports car. (ˈtɑmi dɪˈsaɪdɪd tu bɜrn ˈrʌbər tu ʃoʊ ɔf ɪz nʲu spɔrts kɑr.)

   Tommy sped up rapidly to showcase his new sports car.