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1. To start (the engine of a motor vehicle) by using a jumper cable connected to the battery of another vehicle or by engaging the drivetrain while the vehicle is rolling downhill or being pushed.
2. InformalTo start or reinvigorate (an activity, system, or process):"struggled to jump-start his once front-running ... presidential campaign"(Susan Feeney).
n.
1. The act, process, or an instance of starting a motor vehicle by using a booster cable or suddenly releasing the clutch while the vehicle is being pushed.
2. InformalThe act or an instance of starting or setting in motion a stalled or sluggish system or process.
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.