Upset the apple cart Meaning in English

expression

US

up-SET thuh AP-uhl kart

UK

up-SET thee AP-uhl KAHT

Definition

To disrupt or ruin carefully arranged plans or a situation, often unexpectedly or accidentally.

Usage & Nuances

This is an informal idiom, often said when someone disrupts a smooth situation. Common structures: 'don't upset the apple cart', 'he upset the apple cart'. It always represents causing trouble or disturbance where things were going well.

• Spanish: arruinar los planes - echar a perder todo - desbaratar la situación
• Portuguese (BR): estragar os planos - bagunçar tudo - desorganizar as coisas
• Portuguese (PT): estragar os planos - deitar tudo a perder - desorganizar as coisas
• Chinese (Simplified): 打乱计划 - 搅局
• Chinese (Traditional): 打亂計劃 - 搗亂
• Hindi: सारे काम बिगाड़ देना - योजना बिगाड़ना
• Arabic: أفسد الخطط - خرب الأمور
• Bengali: সমস্ত পরিকল্পনা নষ্ট করা - গোলমাল বাঁধানো
• Russian: внести разлад - всё испортить
• Japanese: 波風を立てる - 台無しにする
• Vietnamese: phá hỏng kế hoạch - làm rối tung mọi thứ
• Korean: 판을 깨다 - 질서를 어지럽히다
• Turkish: düzeni bozmak - işleri altüst etmek
• Urdu: معاملے کو بگاڑ دینا - منصوبہ خراب کرنا
• Indonesian: mengacaukan rencana - membuat kekacauan

Example Sentences

Please don't upset the apple cart right now; everything is finally working.

basic

He accidentally upset the apple cart at the meeting by raising a problem nobody expected.

basic

Changing the schedule now would upset the apple cart for the whole team.

basic

I know you have new ideas, but let's not upset the apple cart just yet.

natural

Everything was running smoothly until John showed up and upset the apple cart.

natural

If you tell the boss now, you'll just upset the apple cart.

natural