gravy train | Idiomator

Meaning: (idiomatic)Anoccupationorsituationthat generates considerableincomeorbenefitswhile requiring littleeffortand carrying littlerisk.Synonym:sinecure1895November, (as quoted by Michael Quinion)Courier of Connellsville:Johnston claims that Reuben Nelson and another tall negro were in New Haven the night of the escape and that they broke into the lockup. Johnson further states that the next day Nelson laughingly told him that the New Haven lockup was ‘agravy train’.1949, William Van O'Connor,American Quarterly, page38:Of course these foreigners want to come to America.[…]To them America is the land of the free ride; and they want to climb aboard thegravy train, even though that means abandoning their friends and neighbors, the ashes of their fathers and the temples of their gods, to a struggle to which they themselves are no longer equal.1970December, Alex Poinsett, “Is There a Plot to Kill Mayor Hatcher?”, inEbony‎[1], volume26, number 2, Johnson Publishing,→ISSN, page146:Hatcher derailed thegravy trainby consolidating City Hall operations into five general departments headed by three special assistants and two members of the Board of Works.1975,Roger Waters, “Have a Cigar”, inWish You Were Here, performed byPink Floyd:And did we tell you the name of the game, boy? / We call it riding thegravy train2005, Kevin Craig,Hey Stranger! Letters from an All-American Loudmouth,→ISBN:Freeloaders are a prime example of the people that will repeatedly burn you if they have the chance.[…]They would much rather find someone with a generous nature, and ride thatgravy traintill the gravy runs out.2006, Freddie L. Sirmans,Can the US Survive Doomsday,→ISBN, page19:This whole gay marriage clamor is really about spousal and other benefits that this welfare state provider has made so enticing. It's only natural that everybody wants to get on agravy trainor ride a free horse.2007, Jon Garate,A Party of One: A Political Parody,→ISBN, page25:Free medical and schooling for illegals; Citizenship for babies of illegals; Free schooling; Free language education. On and on goes thegravy train. Who wouldn't bust into this country for the easy life.2008, Christopher C. Horner, “Heretics, Speak Out”, inRed Hot Lies‎[2], Regnery Publishing,→ISBN, Conclusion, page340:It is clear that dissent can no longer be tolerated, and no one is above using their position[…]to stifle thought that frightens them or threatens to upset thegravy train.2012, Andrew Holmes,The Painspotter's Guide to Broken Britain,→ISBN:[…]This isn't so much thegravy train, but the expressgravy train, and just like Eurostar, it runs a lot faster in Europe than in the UK.

Examples:

EN: This is the best gravy train ever rolled up my alley.
ES: Nunca habia ganado dinero tan fácilmente.
EN: Ride it high on the gravy train!
ES: ¡Disfrutando del chollo!
EN: We'll be on the gravy train!
ES: ¡Estaremos en una buena racha!
EN: Yes. What with all the rationing and the liquor license I finally got .. I'd have been a creep not to jump on the gravy train.
ES: Con el racionamiento y las licencias de alcohol, habría sido un tonto de no aprovecharlo.
EN: On the gravy train. Riding it all the way.
ES: Vas lanzado, no haces sino avanzar.
EN: A doctor with five TB patients is riding a gravy train.
ES: Cinco pacientes tuberculosos y un médico puede retirarse.
EN: You can report to your client now and have him take you off the gravy train.
ES: Puedes informar ya a tu cliente para que te corte el chollo que tienes.
EN: You know, you're riding the gravy train, too.
ES: - Tú también vas en un tren de lujo.
EN: Oh, a regular gravy train these days. I'm glad you're on it.
ES: Oh, un amigo me lo había dicho, me alegra que seas honesto.
EN: You heard I was making out alright, so you came here to climb aboard the gravy train.
ES: Sabías que me va bien y has venido a aprovecharte.
EN: Steve was a big hit tonight, and with the little job I'm doing here... we got a one-way ticket on that gravy train.
ES: Steve fue un gran éxito esta noche, y con un trabajito que estoy haciendo aquí, tenemos un billete de ida a esa mina de oro.
EN: Waiting for the gravy train.
ES: Espera por el tren del olvido.
EN: And the shooter's coming out on a gravy train.
ES: Y el tirador puede ganar mucho dinero.
EN: I know you will hate this, but you are getting off gravy train to make room for more deserving men.
ES: Sé que no os gustará, pero vais a abandonarnos para dejar sitio a otros que se lo merecen más.
EN: There's another one coming along, the gravy train.
ES: Pero hay otro tren, lleno de dinero.

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