Definition

Noun: A pair of thick, insulated electrical cables with large alligator clips at each end, used to connect the dead battery of one vehicle to the good battery of another vehicle to provide the electrical power needed to start the engine.

Usage

"Jumper cable" is a countable noun, typically used in the plural form "jumper cables." It refers specifically to the tool used for jump-starting a vehicle.

Examples

• I keep a set of jumper cables in my trunk for emergencies.
• Do you have jumper cables? My car battery is dead.
• He connected the red jumper cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.

Advanced Usage

• "a pair of jumper cables": This is a common way to refer to the complete set, which consists of two cables (one red, one black).
• "jumper cable ends/clips": Refers specifically to the metal clamps at the ends of the cables.

Variants and Related Words

• Booster cables: A common synonym for "jumper cables," used interchangeably.
• Jump leads: The term commonly used in British English for "jumper cables."
• Jumper wire: A more general term for a short piece of wire used to make an electrical connection, often in electronics, not specifically for cars.

Synonyms

• Booster cables
• Jump leads (UK)

Related Phrases

• To jump-start a car: The action performed using jumper cables.
  • I used my jumper cables to jump-start his truck.
• To give/get a jump: An informal phrase for providing/receiving a jump-start.
  • Can you give me a jump? My battery is dead.

Noun

1. a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
   • it was a tangle of jumper cables and clip leads