Taking someone else's car for an unauthorized drive for fun or thrills, typically without permission.
Compound of 'joy' (from Old French 'joie' meaning rejoicing) and 'riding' (from Old English 'ridan'). The term emerged in early 20th-century America when cars became common.
Joyriding became a common teen crime in the 1920s-30s when mass-produced cars became affordable, which is why it specifically entered the dictionary then. It's been a staple of American crime fiction ever since, representing youthful rebellion against property and authority!
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