hail a cab

Meaning

To signal a taxi on the street, usually by raising your hand, so that it stops to pick you up. This is a very common, natural idiom used in English-speaking cities worldwide. The tone is neutral and conversational.

Examples

• It was raining heavily, so we had to hail a cab to get home.

  It was raining heavily, so we had to hail a cab to get home.

• In New York City, you just stand on the curb and hail a cab.

  In New York City, you just stand on the curb and hail a cab.

• She managed to hail a cab right as it started to pour.

  She managed to hail a cab right as it started to pour.

• Is it easy to hail a cab in this neighborhood, or should we use an app?

  Is it easy to hail a cab in this neighborhood, or should we use an app?

• He raised his hand to hail a cab that was driving past the hotel.

  He raised his hand to hail a cab that was driving past the hotel.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I called a cab on the street by waving my hand.

  ✓ I hailed a cab on the street by waving my hand.

  'Call a cab' usually implies using a phone or app to book one. Waving your hand to stop one on the street is specifically 'hailing a cab'.

• ✗ We tried to wave a taxi but none of them stopped.

  ✓ We tried to hail a cab but none of them stopped.

  While 'wave down a taxi' is correct, 'wave a taxi' is incomplete. 'Hail a cab' is the most natural idiomatic phrase.

Related Expressions

Practice

• It's hard to ___ during rush hour when everyone is leaving work.

  💡 To wave your hand to stop a passing taxi.

  Show answer

  hail a cab

• Just step off the sidewalk slightly and raise your arm to ___.

  💡 Signal a taxi to stop for you.

  Show answer

  hail a cab