jump-start

• jumpstart, jump start

jump-start (third-person singular simple present jump-starts, present participle jump-starting, simple past and past participle jump-started)

1. (transitive) To start a motor vehicle with a discharged ("dead") battery by connecting it with jumper cables to an alternate source of electrical current, generally either the charged battery of another vehicle or a purpose-made device ("hotshot").

   Synonym: boost

2. (transitive, figuratively) To reactivate or rejuvenate.

   Synonyms: boost, reactivate, kick start

   Giving a really good speech at the convention could jump-start her political career.

   • 2022, NoViolet Bulawayo, Glory, Chatto & Windus, page 262:

     ‘That debt means we can’t access credit to jump-start the economy as needed.’

jump-start (plural jump-starts)

1. The process or result of jump-starting a motor vehicle.

   I left my headlights on all night. Could you give me a jump-start?

2. (sports) A false start.

   Synonyms: jumped start, jumped-start, false start, flier, flyer

• jumper cable

• jump start on Wikipedia.Wikipedia