thumb a lift

thumb a lift

To hitchhike. (Done by putting one's thumb in the air in order to signal passing cars that one is looking for a ride.) I spent the summer thumbing lifts along the west coast. We didn't have any money for a taxi, so we had to thumb a life home.
See also: lift, thumb
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

thumb/hitch a ˈlift

stand by the side of the road with your thumb out because you want a driver to stop and take you somewhere: We tried to hitch a lift, but nobody stopped to pick us up.
See also: hitch, lift, thumb
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • thumb a ride
  • thumb/hitch a lift
  • hitch a lift
  • hitch a ride
  • hail a taxi
  • have a green thumb
  • bite (one's) thumb at
  • green thumb
  • thanks for the lift
  • walk across
References in periodicals archive
A Central Motorway Policing Group spokeswoman said: "This guy was just trying to thumb a lift to Liverpool and we advised him via an interpreter.
Hitching a ride in middle of M6 MOTORWAY!
A poll of 16,850 AA members showed that numbers who ignore travellers trying to thumb a lift has risen from 75 per cent to 91 per cent in two years, reports the Daily Express.
It's end of the road for hitchhiking
It went on all night and the girls decided to thumb a lift home the next morning.
OAP CHARGED WITH 40-YEAR-OLD MURDER; Video link to court
She decided to try to hitch but was ignored for 40 minutes as she stood by the roadside trying to thumb a lift in her wedding dress.
40-minute hitch..then here thumbs the bride