Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

gravy train

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.47 in modern English

Syllables: gravy -train
IPA

17

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An occupation or situation that generates considerable income or benefits while requiring little effort and carrying little risk.

Example Sentences

"Johnston claims that Reuben Nelson and another tall negro were in New Haven the night of the escape and that they broke into the lockup. Johnson further states that the next day Nelson laughingly told him that the New Haven lockup was ‘a gravy train’."
"Of course these foreigners want to come to America. […] To them America is the land of the free ride; and they want to climb aboard the gravy train, even though that means abandoning their friends and neighbors, the ashes of their fathers and the temples of their gods, to a struggle to which they themselves are no longer equal."
"Hatcher derailed the gravy train by consolidating City Hall operations into five general departments headed by three special assistants and two members of the Board of Works."
"And did we tell you the name of the game, boy? / We call it riding the gravy train"
"Freeloaders are a prime example of the people that will repeatedly burn you if they have the chance. […] They would much rather find someone with a generous nature, and ride that gravy train till the gravy runs out."
"This whole gay marriage clamor is really about spousal and other benefits that this welfare state provider has made so enticing. It's only natural that everybody wants to get on a gravy train or ride a free horse."

Etymology

Said to be originally US railroad slang, referring to an easy, short haul that paid well. The word gravy by itself was used prior to any attestable use of gravy train to characterize cushy situations. Note also phrases with hog train as a possible source of analogy.

Inflected Forms

gravy trains (plural)

Phrases

cushy number golden goose gold mine

Frequently Paired Words

cushy number golden goose gold mine

Synonyms

sinecure easy money

Questions

What does gravy train mean?: An occupation or situation that generates considerable income or benefits while requiring little effort and carrying little risk.
Where does gravy train come from?: Said to be originally US railroad slang, referring to an easy, short haul that paid well. The word gravy by itself was used prior to any attestable use of gravy train to characterize cushy situations. Note also phrases with hog train as a possible source of analogy.

How to pronounce gravy train

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