Ride Shotgun
Meaning: To sit in the front passenger seat of a car, next to the driver.
If you “ride shotgun,” you sit in the front passenger seat of a car. The phrase comes from the Old West, when guards would sit next to stagecoach drivers holding a shotgun to protect against danger. These days, friends often shout “I call shotgun!” to claim the front seat. It’s also used more generally to describe someone supporting another closely, like “She’s riding shotgun on the project.”
How to use it
It’s casual and very common among friends and family, especially in the U.S. Saying “Shotgun” or “I call shotgun” claims the front seat before anyone else does. It can also mean going along with someone to watch over or support them.
Examples
- Shotgun. I get the front seat.
- You can ride shotgun and pick the music.
- My sister always rides shotgun on road trips so she can handle the GPS.
A common mistake
No article: ride shotgun and call shotgun, not “ride a shotgun” or “ride the shotgun.” Today it has nothing to do with a real gun.
Where it comes from
In the American Old West, a guard with a shotgun often sat next to the stagecoach driver to protect the passengers and cargo. The phrase “riding shotgun” became popular through Western novels and films in the 1900s.
Say it out loud
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Source: Wikipedia