乗り掛かる[掛ける]

のりかかる[かける]【乗り掛かる[掛ける]】

1 〔乗ろうとする〕 be about to get into 《a taxi》 [on(to) 《a train》]; be going to board 《a train》.

●船は暗礁に乗りかけてとまった. The boat very nearly ran onto [was on the point of running onto] a reef.

・私はバスに乗りかけたところで忘れ物を思い出した. I was on the point of boarding the bus when I realized I had forgotten something.

2 〔上に乗る〕 get on top of…; lean over…

3 〔着手する〕 set about 《doing》; start doing; begin 《to do》; set one's hand to 《sth, to do》; embark [start] on 《an enterprise》; launch (out) on 《an enterprise》.

●乗りかかった船だ, 後へは引けない. We've gone [come] too far to retreat [go back]. | Now we've started, there's no turning back [no backing out of the job].