Score a parking spot
Meaning: To find and claim a desirable parking space, especially in a crowded area.
Finding parking in American cities is treated like a competitive sport. Scoring a spot — especially a free one, or one close to your destination — is a genuine achievement that people celebrate and brag about. Circling the block for twenty minutes looking for parking is a shared urban experience.
Examples
- I scored a parking spot right in front of the restaurant! 我在餐厅正门口抢到了一个停车位!¡Pillé una plaza de aparcamiento justo delante del restaurante!レストランの真ん前に駐車スペースをゲットした!레스토랑 바로 앞에 주차 자리를 찾았어!
- We circled for twenty minutes before we finally scored a spot. 我们转了二十分钟才终于找到一个车位。Estuvimos dando vueltas veinte minutos hasta que por fin encontramos una plaza.20分間グルグル回って、やっとスペースを見つけた。20분간 빙빙 돌다가 겨우 자리를 찾았다.
- She always scores the best parking spots — it's like a superpower. 她总能找到最好的停车位——简直像超能力一样。Ella siempre pilla las mejores plazas de aparcamiento — es como un superpoder.彼女はいつも最高の駐車スペースを見つける——まるで超能力だ。그녀는 항상 최고의 주차 자리를 찾아내 — 초능력 같아.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: parking, city driving, celebration
Tone: triumphant, relieved
✓ Do Say
- I scored a spot on the street!我在路边抢到了一个车位!¡Pillé una plaza en la calle!路上駐車のスペースをゲットしたよ!길가에 자리를 찾았어!
- Can you believe I scored front-row parking?你信吗,我抢到了第一排的停车位?¿Te puedes creer que pillé aparcamiento en primera fila?最前列の駐車スペースを確保できたなんて信じられる?맨 앞줄 주차 자리를 찾았다니 믿어져?
✗ Don't Say
- Don't use for parking in a half-empty lot — there's no accomplishment in that别在半空的停车场用这个说法——那算不上什么成就No usar para aparcar en un aparcamiento medio vacío — no tiene ningún méritoガラガラの駐車場で停めた時には使わない——それは達成感がない반쯤 빈 주차장에서는 쓰지 말 것 — 거기엔 성취감이 없다
Origin & History
American colloquial English from the mid-20th century. The use of 'score' (to achieve something desirable) applied to the increasingly competitive act of finding parking in growing American cities.
Cultural Context
Era: Mid-20th century
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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