Whiteisms
The Archive

Etymology Journal ยท G

Get the wheels turning

Meaning

To begin thinking about a problem or to initiate a project. It is the mental equivalent of waking up a sleepy engine.

Motivating, practical

Used in a sentence

  • Let us look at some blueprints to get the wheels turning on the renovation.
  • I need a cup of coffee to get the wheels turning this morning.
  • Brainstorming helps get the wheels turning when the team feels stuck.

The backstory

Borrowed from mechanical metaphors where gears or wheels must begin rotating to transmit power. It is a common idiom that has likely been in usage since the Industrial Revolution.

Heard in

Nationwide

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