fall off the back of a truck

verb

Of an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession through illegal or otherwise dubious means.

“The movie is still in theaters, but I got a copy that fell off the back of a truck.”

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Meanings

verbfall off the back of a truck (third-person singular simple present falls off the back of a truck, present participle falling off the back of a truck, simple past fell off the back of a truck, past participle fallen off the back of a truck)

present singular third person falls off the back of a truck · participle present falling off the back of a truck · past fell off the back of a truck · participle past fallen off the back of a truck · alternative fall off the back of a lorry

  1. AustraliaUSeuphemisticidiomaticOf an item of merchandise, to come into a person's possession through illegal or otherwise dubious means.

    The movie is still in theaters, but I got a copy that fell off the back of a truck.

Cite this entry
APA

fall off the back of a truck. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20off%20the%20back%20of%20a%20truck

MLA

“fall off the back of a truck.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20off%20the%20back%20of%20a%20truck. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fall off the back of a truck,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fall%20off%20the%20back%20of%20a%20truck.

Source: fall off the back of a truck on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.