hot wire — hot wires, hot wiring, hot wired VERB If someone, especially a thief, hot wires a car, they start its engine using a piece of wire rather than the key. [V n] A youth was inside the car, attempting to hot wire it … English dictionary
hot-wire — v. t. to start (a car) by using a wire instead of a key, as when stealing the car; the wire is connected to points in the ignition circuit that bypass the key. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
hot-wire — ☆ hot wire [hät′wīr΄ ] vt. hot wired, hot wiring Slang to start the engine of (an automobile, boat, etc.) without a key, as by crossing ignition wires … English World dictionary
hot-wire — v [T] informal to start the engine of a vehicle using the wires of the ↑ignition system, instead of a key … Dictionary of contemporary English
hot-wire — hot ,wire verb transitive INFORMAL to start the engine of a car by connecting wires rather than using a key, usually in order to steal the car … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
hot-wire — hot′ wire′ v. t. wired, wir•ing aum sts to start the engine of (a motor vehicle) by short circuiting the ignition • Etymology: 1950–55 … From formal English to slang
hot-wire — ► VERB informal ▪ start the engine of (a vehicle) by bypassing the ignition switch … English terms dictionary
hot-wire — verb start (a car engine) without a key by bypassing the ignition interlock The woman who lost the car keys had to hot wire her van • Hypernyms: ↑start, ↑start up • Verb Frames: Somebody s something * * * ˈhot wire f5 [ … Useful english dictionary
hot-wire — /ˈhɒt waɪə/ (say hot wuyuh) adjective 1. of or relating to a hot wire. 2. (of an ammeter or voltmeter) using the expansion, or change in resistance, of a wire when it is heated by the passage of a current. –verb (t) (hot wired, hot wiring) 3. to… …
hot-wire — UK / US verb [transitive] Word forms hot wire : present tense I/you/we/they hot wire he/she/it hot wires present participle hot wiring past tense hot wired past participle hot wired informal to start the engine of a car by connecting wires rather … English dictionary