back-seat driver en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
Meanings
-
(dated) An occupant of a large vehicle, such as a firetruck, who helps steer the vehicle from far in the back.
When New York pitcher Vernon Gomez retires as a smokeballer he wants to become a smoke eater. Here he gets a tryout as a back-seat driver on a hook and ladder truck at St. Petersburg[…]
1914, Daily Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine, USA:
- A person sitting (typically) in the back seat of a car issuing (unsolicited and usually unwanted) instructions to the driver.
- (figuratively) An opinionated person who offers (unsolicited and often unwanted) advice on the best way to handle a situation.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| backseat driver | alternative | lexicographic | |
| back-seat drivers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
sidewalk superintendent · interloper · back-seat gamer · nosy parker · gatecrasher · back-seat drive · peeping tom · encroacher · armchair general · back seat · kibitzer · backseater · buttinsky · armchair quarterback · busybody · persona non grata · meddler · marplot
Synonyms
Translations (13)
fi takapenkkikuski (advising passenger) · fr mouche du coche (advising passenger) · ru поме́ха спра́ва f /lit:hindrance from the right/ (advising passenger) · sv baksätesförare (advising passenger) · is aftursætisbílstjóri (advising passenger) · pt treinador de bancada (unwanted advocate) · nb back-seat driver (unwanted advocate) · hu fogadatlan prókátor (unwanted advocate) · pl pasażer dający niepożądane rady (advising passenger) · pl niepożądany doradca (unwanted advocate) · fi takapenkkikuljettaja (advising passenger) · nb baksetesjåfør (unwanted advocate) · sv baksätesförare (unwanted advocate)