hot-wire
[
v.
hot
-
wahy
uh
r
;
adj.
hot
-wahy
uh
r]
/
v.
ˈhɒtˈwaɪər;
adj.
ˈhɒtˌwaɪər/
verb (used with object)
,
hot-wired,
hot-wiring.
1.
Slang.
to start the engine of (a motor vehicle) by short-circuiting the ignition.
adjective
2.
Electricity, Engineering.
depending for its operation on the lengthening or increasing resistance of a wire when it is heated:
hot-wire anemometer; hot-wire microphone.
Origin
1950-55
British Dictionary definitions for
hot-wire
hot-wire
verb
1.
(
transitive
) (
slang
) to start the engine of (a motor vehicle) by bypassing the ignition switch
Slang definitions & phrases for
hot-wire
hot-wire
verb
To start a car, truck, etc, by electrically bypassing the ignition lock
: He could hot-wire any car in about 20 seconds
(1961+)
To activate illegally; tamper with
: let the affected corporations hot-wire the regulatory process
(1970s+)
[fr the notion of attaching an electrically hot wire to the starter-motor relay]