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# hitchhike

verb (hitchhike, hitchhikes, hitchhiked, hitchhiking); noun (hitchhiker — the person)

«hitchhike» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To travel by standing at the side of the road and asking drivers for a free ride, often by holding up your thumb. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/#m1)
2. (figurative) For a small creature or seed to travel by clinging to something else, as in «seeds hitchhike on your socks». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/#m2)

### In the lessons

In safety lessons children learn never to hitchhike or get into a stranger's car. In science, seeds and tiny animals are said to «hitchhike» on fur, clothes or boats — that is how some plants spread. In stories it shows someone travelling with no money. Short form: hitch a ride, hitch (informal).

### Examples

- Never hitchhike or take a lift from a stranger. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/#x1)
- Burrs hitchhike on a dog's fur. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/#x2)
- In the film, two students hitchhiked across the country. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/#x3)
- Some insects hitchhike on ships to new countries. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/#x4)
- He stood by the road trying to hitchhike. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/#x5)
- The hitchhiker held up a sign saying «North». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/#x6)
- Seeds hitchhiked home on my socks after the walk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/#x7)

### Note

Regular: hitchhiked. The person is a hitchhiker. Informal: «hitch a ride», «thumb a lift» (UK). Safety: hitchhiking is dangerous for children and in many places not allowed on motorways.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «hitchhike» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hitchhike/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«hitchhike» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/hitchhike.html) on Mova free.