Meaning of train surf | Babel Free

Definitions

To either stand on a the roof of a moving train and surf it like a wave, or to hang on and ride on the exterior of a train.

informal, intransitive

Examples

“1998: Felicity Allen, Health Psychology: Theory and Practice - Adolescents may be rejected by their parents and feel⟳ so worthless that they want⟳ to do dangerous things such as ‘train-surfing'. [published in Australia]”

“2006: Weekend Argus 14 May 2006 p.8. - An 18 year old boy was electrocuted yesterday while "train⟳ surfing" in Soweto yesterday, emergency services said. The boy had been standing on the roof of the train⟳... According to emergency services, the boys wait⟳ until the train⟳ is travelling slowly and climb⟳ onto the roof and ride⟳ it like⟳ a surf board⟳. [published in South Africa]”

“2003: Melvin M. Carpio, The Web of Darkness - We would often try⟳ our hand at train⟳ surfing, that is, the act of riding outside the train⟳, hanging on the back of the last⟳ car, holding on for dear life, while the train⟳ is in motion. [published in USA]”

“2004: Expatica, read⟳ at https://web.archive.org/web/20050313211316/http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=4722 on 22 May 2006 - A 15-year-old boy was killed on Saturday night while he and a friend "train⟳ surfed" ... near Rotterdam. ... One of the boys opened a window of a stationary train⟳ at about 9pm and when the train⟳ started to move⟳, both of them climbed out through the window and hung onto the train⟳ from the outside. [published in UK]”

CEFR level