English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Ride (on) a wave
Meaning
The idiom "ride on a wave" means to experience success or popularity for a short period of time, often resulting from an initial success. It can also mean to go along with something, to follow the trend or be a part of a group or organization. The figurative meaning is that the person or thing being referred to is like a surfer who rides on a wave, experiencing a high and then quickly crashing down.
Usage
- "After her debut album went viral, Sarah rode on the wave of success and became a household name."
- "The new trend in fitness is all about high-intensity interval training. If you want to ride on that wave, you should try it out."
- "When I first started working for this company, everyone was enthusiastic and supportive. But over time, I felt like I was just riding on the wave of their success without contributing much."
- "The city council decided to go along with the new development project in order to ride on the economic benefits it would bring."
- "I've been interested in learning French for a while now, but only recently started taking lessons. I hope I can ride on that wave of language learning and become fluent soon."
Roots and History
The idiom "ride on a wave" dates back to the early 20th century and is thought to have originated in the surfing culture. Surfers would ride on waves in order to experience the thrill and excitement of the ocean, but they also had to be careful not to get caught in the wrong wave and crash down. Over time, the idiom has been used in various contexts and has taken on a more metaphorical meaning that applies to all kinds of situations.
Synonyms in English
- Ride the wave
- Surf the tide
- Go with the flow
- Follow the trend
- Join the bandwagon
Synonyms in other languages
- Spanish - "Reder el ola" (to ride the wave)
- French - "Surfer l'onde" (to surf the wave)
- German - "Das Surfen der Wellen" (the surfing of waves)
- Italian - "La ricerca della perfezione" (the quest for perfection)
- Dutch - "Surfen op de golven" (surfing on the waves)