fall off the back of a lorry

fall off the back of a lorry
   to be stolen
   In reality the days of insecure loads are long past:
    You wouldn't believe what I paid for them. Fell off the back of a lorry. (Theroux, 1976 — he had received stolen goods)
   Stolen goods similarly fall off the back of other goods vehicles such as vans and trucks.

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • fall off the back of a lorry — (UK) If someone tries to sell you something that has fallen of the back of a lorry, they are trying to sell you stolen goods …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • fall off the back of a lorry — (UK)    If someone tries to sell you something that has fallen of the back of a lorry, they are trying to sell you stolen goods.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    Goods that have fallen off the back of a lorry are stolen goods.     Judging… …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • fall off the back of a lorry — Vrb phrs. A reference to goods that have been stolen. Used ironically to avoid revealing the real origins of the property. E.g. Being as they fell off a back of a lorry I m selling them at half the price they are in the shops …   English slang and colloquialisms

  • Fall off the back of a lorry —   (UK)   If someone tries to sell you something that has fallen of the back of a lorry, they are trying to sell you stolen goods …   Dictionary of English idioms

  • fall off the back of a lorry — informal (of goods) be acquired in dubious circumstances. → lorry …   English new terms dictionary

  • fall off the back of a lorry — verb Of an item of merchandise, to come into a peronss possession without having been paid for; to have been acquired illegally …   Wiktionary

  • fall off the back of a lorry — (British Slang) appear from out of nowhere (ironic expression used to indicate that something came into one s possession in an illegitimate manner, i.e. by theft) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Fall Out (The Prisoner) — Infobox Television episode Title = Fall Out Series = The Prisoner Season = 1 Episode = 17 Guests = Number Two: Leo McKern Number Forty Eight: Alexis Kanner President: Kenneth Griffith Writer = Patrick McGoohan Director = Patrick McGoohan… …   Wikipedia

  • fall off of the back a lorry — ► fall off of the back a lorry informal (of goods) be acquired in dubious circumstances. Main Entry: ↑lorry …   English terms dictionary

  • fall — fall1 W1S1 [fo:l US fo:l] v past tense fell [fel] past participle fallen [ˈfo:lən US ˈfo:l ] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(move downwards)¦ 2¦(stop standing/walking etc)¦ 3¦(decrease)¦ 4¦(become)¦ 5¦(belong to a group)¦ 6 fall short of something 7 fall victim/prey… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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