release the handbrake

verb

To let go; to stop an internally imposed restraint.

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Meanings

verbrelease the handbrake (third-person singular simple present releases the handbrake, present participle releasing the handbrake, simple past and past participle released the handbrake)

present singular third person releases the handbrake · participle present releasing the handbrake · participle past released the handbrake · past released the handbrake

  1. figurativelyTo let go; to stop an internally imposed restraint.

    As the game went on, Southgate still seemed very reluctant to release the handbrake, even taking the fact England were down to 10 men into account.

    2020 October 14, Phil McNulty, “England 0-1 Denmark: 'Harry Maguire looked devoid of confidence in Nations League loss'”, in BBC Sport
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see release, handbrake.
Cite this entry
APA

release the handbrake. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/release%20the%20handbrake

MLA

“release the handbrake.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/release%20the%20handbrake. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “release the handbrake,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/release%20the%20handbrake.

Source: release the handbrake on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.