Nantucket sleigh ride

Meanings:

• 1.

  United StatesMaritimeHistoricalNauticalLiteral
  • A historical whaling term for the dangerous event when a harpooned whale drags a small whaleboat at high speed through the water.
  • A violent, uncontrolled tow of a vessel or small craft caused by a large animal or force, as in traditional 19th‑century whaling.

• 2.

  United StatesEnglish-speaking worldFigurativeInformalLiterary
  • A metaphor for being carried along on a wild, uncontrollable, or perilous experience beyond one's control.
  • A figurative expression for a dramatic, tumultuous ride through events or circumstances that pull one forward at great speed.