Meaning of hot-wire | Babel Free

Definitions

1. To start an automobile engine by bypassing the ignition key wiring.
   slang, transitive
2. To steal a vehicle by bypassing the ignition key's security.
   slang, transitive

Examples

“Never broke into a car, never hotwired a car. Never broke into a truck. 'I shall not cause harm to any vehicle nor the personal contents thereof, nor through inaction let the personal contents thereof come to harm' It's what I call the Repo Code, kid!”

“His attitude grew worse and his crimes escalated: he broke into garages in his neighborhood, he hot-wired cars, and his punches grew harder.”

CEFR level