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Glite Dictionary
to shot through like a Bondi tram

to shot through like a Bondi tram

9.9
To leave a place very quickly
  • idiom
  • Australian
translation icon : salir disparado
  • He shot through like a Bondi tram before anyone could ask him questions.

Examples

  • When trouble started, the boys shot through like a Bondi tram.

  • As soon as the meeting ended, she shot through like a Bondi tram.

  • He shot through like a Bondi tram when he heard the news.

  • Did she really shoot through like a Bondi tram after the meeting?

  • After his presentation, he shot through like a Bondi tram to catch his flight.

  • As soon as the teacher announced the bell, the students shot through like a Bondi tram.

  • When the rain started pouring, they shot through like a Bondi tram to reach shelter.

Synonyms

to rip
vsto shot through like a Bondi tram
88 6.0

To move very quickly and with great force

describes quick hurried departure rather than violent or forceful motion
to blow town
vsto shot through like a Bondi tram
  • Informal
2 9.8

To leave a place quickly to avoid trouble

is a quick departure without implying escape or avoidance
to pop off
vsto shot through like a Bondi tram
  • UK
1 7.9

To leave a place quickly, often without saying goodbye

is used for quick departure but not necessarily without warning
to cannonball along
vsto shot through like a Bondi tram
  • Informal
7.1

To move very quickly in a straight, forceful way

refers to rapid departure rather than forceful straight motion

Antonyms

to linger
207 3.7

To stay in a place longer than expected because you do not want to leave

to dawdle
17 5.0

Move or act slowly and waste time, causing delay

How Fast

to shot through like a Bondi tram
  • Australian
9.9
to bolt
69 2.3
to rush off
20 3.8
to leave
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

shot through like a Bondi tram infinitive
shot through like a Bondi tram past
shot through like a Bondi tram past participle
shooting through like a Bondi tram present participle
shots through like a Bondi tram third person singular

Morphology

shoot + through + like + a + Bondi + tram

The core verb phrase 'shot through' is directly derivable from 'shoot' (dart/rush) + 'through' and conveys leaving very quickly, so that part is transparent. However, the simile 'like a Bondi tram' relies on a local cultural reference (Bondi) and vehicle imagery that may be unfamiliar to many learners, adding a potentially opaque, language-specific nuance; therefore the overall expression is only partially predictable.

Etymology

The Australian phrase shot through like a Bondi tram comes from a clear image: one popular story says a Bondi tram shot through the street, moving straight and fast. So, saying someone 'shot through like a Bondi tram' means they 'left very quickly'.