brake check

Meanings

verbbrake check (third-person singular simple present brake checks, present participle brake checking, simple past and past participle brake checked)

present singular third person brake checks · participle present brake checking · participle past brake checked · past brake checked · alternative brake-check

informalintransitivetransitiveautomotiveTo deliberately brake in an unexpected place to hinder or startle the driver behind.
The CHP said it’s seeing an increase in reports of people being more aggressive on the road. “If somebody honks, they’ll honk back. If somebody cuts them off, they will brake check and they will go back and forth,” said Officer Ceja.
2020, Renée Santos, “Caught On Camera: Driver ‘Brake Checks’ Vehicle, Causing Driver To Lose Control On Highway 50”, in CBS Sacramento
Synonyms: brake test

verbTo deliberately brake in an unexpected place to hinder or startle the driver behind.

Similar

Also see

Finnish jarruttaa yllättäen eteen

Hungarian büntetőfékez

Cite this entry

APA

brake check. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brake%20check

MLA

“brake check.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brake%20check. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “brake check,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brake%20check.