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hit the brake

English translation: driver hits the brake/slams on the brake (with this idiom "driver" is needed)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:hit the brake
Selected answer:driver hits the brake/slams on the brake (with this idiom "driver" is needed)
Entered by: Yvonne Gallagher

02:58 Jun 28, 2016
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Mechanics / Mech Engineering
English term or phrase: hit the brake
I think "the driver hits the brake"
is an appropriate expression,
but is "the vehicle hits the brake"
appropriate?
casesam
Japan
no, need driver to hit the brake
Explanation:
you're right the driver hits the brakes =slams on the brakes or brakes suddenly. This is fine but the car itself can't hit the brakes! Until, of course, we have driverless cars...which are coming...
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 11:43
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +6no, need driver to hit the brake
Yvonne Gallagher
4 +2vehicle applies the brakes
airmailrpl


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
no, need driver to hit the brake


Explanation:
you're right the driver hits the brakes =slams on the brakes or brakes suddenly. This is fine but the car itself can't hit the brakes! Until, of course, we have driverless cars...which are coming...

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 11:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Terry Richards: Actually, some already can (Nissan Qashqai, for one) but the language hasn't caught up yet :)
33 mins
  -> Yes, I know some cars already have this feature but think it will have to be widespread before language changes to accept this! Thanks:-)
agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa: "hit the brake" is an idiom meaning to step on the brake pedal, so obviously, the driver needs to hit the brake(s).
1 hr
  -> Thanks:-) We usually say "step on" for acceleration and "hit" or "slam on" for brakes
agree  Veronika McLaren
3 hrs
  -> Many thanks:-)
agree  Helena Chavarria: Re. Terry's comment, it's similar to turning on a tap, which we still say but don't actually do anymore. //Well, we don't turn taps, we move a lever up and down. Ask a small child to pretend they're turning on a tap and you'll see what I mean!
9 hrs
  -> Thanks Helena:-). (BTW I still turn on a tap...what do you mean you don't? Do you mean the sensor ones...? I still have turn/(twist) taps! Lever ones not so common:-)...
agree  Jean-Claude Gouin
11 hrs
  -> Merci:-)
agree  Lingua 5B
12 hrs
  -> Thanks:-)
neutral  Masoud Kakouli Varnousfaderani: I think driver-less cars have already hit the market! Now, you can buy Tesla in the US. Use Youtube to see how these cars are used in real life!
13 hrs
  -> I already said there are some cars on the market. (I did translations about them including Tesla) But we (natives) wouldn't say "the vehicle hits the brake"...not yet anyway!! And, even if it changes in future, it's more likely to be in the Passive
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
"the vehicle hits the brake"
vehicle applies the brakes


Explanation:
"the vehicle hits the brake" => vehicle applies the brakes

Automatic braking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_braking
Automatic braking is a technology for automobiles to sense and avoid an imminent collision with another vehicle, person or obstacle by braking without any ...

How Automatic Braking Systems Work | HowStuffWorks
auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/trends.../automatic-braking-system.htm
Volvo's City Safety system automatically brakes if the driver fails to react in time when the vehicle in front slows down or stops. Want to learn more? Check out ...

airmailrpl
Brazil
Local time: 07:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 92

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Didier Fourcot: A specific system of the vehicle (ESP, adaptive cruise control, ASR, etc) applies one or more wheel brakes
1 hr
  -> so the "vehicle applies the brakes"
agree  acetran
7 hrs
  -> thank you
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