taking someone for a ride

Origin

Picture the shadowy streets of early 20th-century America, where organized crime held sway. When mobsters wanted to deal with an enemy or an informant, they’d send a car. 'Get in, we're going for a ride,' they’d say, a phrase that would send shivers down anyone's spine. This wasn't a scenic tour; the unlucky individual would be driven to a remote location, often to be murdered or severely punished, never to be seen again. The seemingly innocent invitation became a terrifying euphemism for being lured into a fatal trap. Over time, the literal violence softened, but the chilling sense of being exploited or duped, of being led blindly towards someone else's nefarious intent, cemented the phrase in our language as a punchy shorthand for ultimate betrayal.