apple-cart

A farmer carefully steers his apple-cart along a country lane.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A cart used for carrying apples: Historically, "apple-cart" refers to a horse-drawn cart or wagon used to transport apples, especially to market.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The farmer loaded the apple-cart with fresh fruit from the orchard. (A cart carrying apples.)
  • The apple-cart tipped over on the bumpy road, spilling apples everywhere. (The cart overturned, causing a mess.)

Advanced Usage

• "to upset someone's apple-cart": To spoil or disrupt someone's plans, arrangements, or expectations; to cause disorder or confusion.
  • Her sudden resignation upset the entire project's apple-cart. (Her departure ruined the carefully laid plans.)
  • The unexpected rain upset the picnic apple-cart. (The rain ruined the outdoor plans.)

Variants and Related Words

• Apple (n): the round fruit of the apple tree.
  • She ate a crisp apple for a snack. (The fruit itself.)
• Cart (n): a vehicle for carrying goods, often pulled by a horse or pushed by hand.
  • The cart was filled with hay. (A general transport vehicle.)

Synonyms

• Wagon: a four-wheeled vehicle for heavy loads.
• Handcart: a cart pushed or pulled by hand.

Related Idioms

• Upset the apple cart: To disrupt a stable situation or spoil someone's plans.
  • He upset the apple cart by revealing the secret early. (He ruined the arrangement.)
  • Don't upset the apple cart now — everything is going smoothly. (Do not interfere with the current success.)

Note

• The word "apple-cart" is rarely used literally in modern English; it is almost exclusively encountered in the idiom "to upset the apple-cart." The literal meaning is historical and agricultural.