put on the brakes

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiom

   To press the brake pedal or lever so that a vehicle slows down or stops.

   Grammar: The verb 'put' changes tense: she put on the brakes, he is putting on the brakes.

   Patterns

   • put on the brakes
   • put the brakes on

   The driver put on the brakes when a child ran into the road.

   Cyclists should put on the brakes gently on wet ground.

   I put on the brakes just in time to avoid the car ahead.

2. 2phraseidiomfigurative

   To slow down or stop something that is moving too fast, such as spending, growth or a plan.

   Grammar: Used figuratively with 'on': put the brakes on the project.

   Patterns

   • put the brakes on something
   • put on the brakes

   The council put on the brakes after costs ran far beyond the budget.

   We need to put on the brakes before we sign anything we cannot afford.

   The banks put the brakes on lending after the crisis.

Word forms

Common combinations

suddenly put on the brakes

The bus suddenly put on the brakes and everyone lurched forward.

put the brakes on spending

The school put the brakes on spending until the audit was done.

put the brakes on a plan

New evidence put the brakes on the merger plan.

put on the brakes hard

She put on the brakes hard at the red light.

Synonyms and how they differ

slow down

Slow down is the plain, neutral version, whereas put on the brakes suggests a deliberate, possibly sudden check.

rein in

Rein in is used for controlling spending or enthusiasm and is a little more formal.

halt

Halt means to stop completely, while putting on the brakes may only reduce speed.

Opposites

Word family

brake verb

to slow a vehicle

brakes noun

the device that slows a vehicle

braking noun

the act of slowing down

Commonly confused: put on the brakes or break?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “put on the brakes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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