an automobile specially built or altered for fast acceleration and increased speed.
Origin
1940-45, Americanism
hot-rod
[hot-rod] /ˈhɒtˈrɒd/
verb (used without object), hot-rodded, hot-rodding.
1.
to drive a hot rod.
2.
to drive very fast.
verb (used with object), hot-rodded, hot-rodding.
3.
to drive (a vehicle) very fast.
4.
to adapt (a vehicle or its engine) for increased speed.
Origin
1945-50
Examples from the web for hot rod
Here are two ways to increase horsepower and bring out your ride's inner hot rod.
But it's not entirely clear that a hot rod is really required here.
For example, a crew chief on a hot rod may also be involved in the tuning of the engine prior to the race.
In addition, such hot rod vehicles are often operated in a manner that causes tire squeal and excessively loud exhaust noise.
The cool hot rod and other electrifying experiments on energy and matter.
British Dictionary definitions for hot rod
hot rod
noun
1.
a car with an engine that has been radically modified to produce increased power
Word Origin and History for hot rod
hot-rod
n.
also hot rod, 1945, American English, from hot + rod, apparently in a sense of "hunk of metal" (the cars also were called hot iron).
Slang definitions & phrases for hot rod
hot rod
modifier
: hot-rod manual/ hot-rod club
noun phrase
A car specially modified and fitted with a powerful or rebuilt engine so as to be much faster than one of the same stock design; a-bomb, can, rod: Special Racing Cars and Hot Rods, a technical book explains the principlesofsupercharging,carburetion,suspension,shockabsorbers. A complete speed manual(1945+ Hot rodders)
(also hot rodder) A driver or devotee of hot rods: Right away he thinks he's a hot rod(1949+ Hot rodders)
Idioms and Phrases with hot rod
hot rod
An automobile modified to increase its speed and acceleration, as in Kids love to tinker with cars and try to convert them into hot rods. [ Mid-1900s ]