applecart: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Figurative
Quick answer
What does “applecart” mean?
A cart used by street vendors to sell apples.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A cart used by street vendors to sell apples.
A state of order, stability, or established plans, especially when used in the idiom 'upset the applecart' meaning to disrupt this state.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the idiom identically. The literal term for the cart is more common in historical contexts in British English.
Connotations
The idiom carries the same connotations in both varieties: causing trouble, ruining plans, or creating disorder.
Frequency
The idiom is understood and used in both BrE and AmE, with a slight edge in frequency in BrE historical/cultural contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “applecart” in a Sentence
[Subject] upset the applecart.Don't let [someone/something] upset the applecart.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “applecart” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new policy could completely applecart our carefully laid negotiations.
- He's always trying to applecart things at the last minute.
American English
- A last-minute witness applecarted the defense's strategy.
- Don't applecart the deal by bringing that up now.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; no common examples)
American English
- (Not standard; no common examples)
adjective
British English
- (Not standard; no common examples)
American English
- (Not standard; no common examples)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The new regulations could upset the applecart for the entire industry."
Academic
Rare, except in historical or literary analysis of figurative language.
Everyday
"I didn't want to upset the applecart by mentioning the surprise party."
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “applecart”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “applecart”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “applecart”
- Using 'applecart' as a standalone noun outside the idiom (e.g., 'He drove an applecart').
- Confusing it with 'apple car' (an electric car).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost never in modern English. It is a 'bound noun' that is almost exclusively used in the fixed phrase 'upset/overturn the applecart'.
No, this is not a standard verb. While creative writers might occasionally use it, it is considered non-standard and jarring to most native speakers.
It dates to the late 18th century, referring literally to the misfortune of a street vendor having their cart of apples overturned. It quickly took on its figurative meaning.
Yes, many languages have idioms about disrupting plans or order. For example, French: "mettre des bâtons dans les roues" (to put sticks in the wheels); German: "einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen" (to draw a line through the calculation).
A cart used by street vendors to sell apples.
Applecart is usually informal, figurative in register.
Applecart: in British English it is pronounced /ˈæp(ə)lkɑːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈæp(ə)lkɑːrt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “upset the applecart”
- “overturn the applecart”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a neatly stacked cart of shiny apples. Someone bumps into it, and the apples roll everywhere, creating a mess. That's 'upsetting the applecart' – ruining a neat, orderly situation.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORDER IS A PRECARIOUS STRUCTURE (a carefully balanced cart that can be tipped over).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'upset the applecart' mean?