To burn rubber is to aggressively accelerate a vehicle from a standstill so that the tires lose grip and spin against the asphalt. The friction physically melts the outer layer of the tire tread, depositing a pair of black rubber streaks on the road surface and generating a distinct smell of scorched rubber.
Heard on the job
Drop it into first and burn rubber when the light turns green.
Also heard as
- lay rubber
- lay an eleven