hot

hot

I. hot¹ S1 W2 /hɒt $ hɑːt/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative hotter, superlative hottest)
[Language: Old English; Origin: hat]
1. HIGH TEMPERATURE
a) something that is hot has a high temperature – used about weather, places, food, drink, or objects OPP cold:
a hot day in July
It’s so hot in here. Can I open the window?
Be careful, the water’s very hot.
The bar serves hot and cold food.
people who live in hot countries (=where the weather is usually hot)
scorching/baking/roasting hot (also boiling/broiling hot )American English (=used about weather that is very hot)
a scorching hot week in August
stifling/sweltering/unbearably hot (=used about weather that is very hot and uncomfortable)
The office gets unbearably hot in summer.
boiling/scalding/steaming hot (=used about liquid that is extremely hot)
The coffee was scalding hot.
piping hot (=used about food that is nice and hot)
Serve the soup piping hot.
red hot (=used to describe an object or surface that is very hot)
The handle was red hot.
white hot (=used to describe metal that is extremely hot)
He held the metal in the flame until it became white hot.
b) if you feel hot, your body feels hot in a way that is uncomfortable:
I was hot and tired after the journey.
The wine made her feel hot.
c) if clothes are hot, they make you feel too hot in a way that is uncomfortable:
This sweater’s too hot to wear inside.
2. SPICY food that tastes hot has a burning taste because it contains strong spices OPP mild:
a hot curry
3. VERY POPULAR/FASHIONABLE informal something or someone that is hot is very popular or fashionable, and everyone wants to use them, see them, buy them etc:
one of the hottest young directors in Hollywood
Michael Owen is already one of soccer’s hottest properties (=actors or sports players who are very popular).
The movie is going to be this summer’s hot ticket (=an event that is very popular or fashionable, and that everyone wants to go and see).
be the hottest thing since (sliced bread) (=used about someone or something that is very good and popular, so that everyone wants them)
4. GOOD informal very good, especially in a way that is exciting:
a hot young guitar player
a hot piece of software
His new film is hot stuff (=very good).
be hot at doing something
She’s pretty hot at swimming, too.
not so hot/not very hot informal (=not very good)
Some of the tracks on the record are great, but others are not so hot.
be hot shit American English informal not polite (=used about someone or something that people think is very good)
5. SEXY
a) informal someone who is hot is very attractive sexually:
The girls all think he’s hot stuff.
b) informal a film, book, photograph etc that is hot is sexually exciting:
his hot and steamy first novel
c) a hot date informal a meeting with someone who you feel very attracted to sexually:
She has a hot date with Michel.
d) be hot on/for somebody informal to be sexually attracted to someone
6. DIFFICULT/DANGEROUS [not before noun] informal difficult or dangerous to deal with:
If things get too hot (=a situation becomes too difficult or dangerous to deal with), I can always leave.
Wilkinson found his opponent a little too hot to handle (=too difficult to deal with or beat).
The climate was too hot politically to make such radical changes.
7. a hot issue/topic etc a subject that a lot of people are discussing, especially one that causes a lot of disagreement:
The affair was a hot topic of conversation.
one of the hottest issues facing medical science
8. in the hot seat in an important position and responsible for making difficult decisions
9. in hot water if someone is in hot water, they are in trouble because they have done something wrong:
The finance minister found himself in hot water over his business interests.
land/get yourself in hot water
She got herself in hot water with the authorities.
10. ANGRY
a) get hot under the collar spoken to become angry – used especially when people get angry in an unreasonable way about something that is not important:
I don’t understand why people are getting so hot under the collar about it.
b) have a hot temper someone who has a hot temper becomes angry very easily ⇨ ↑hot-tempered
11. hot and bothered informal upset and confused because you have too much to think about or because you are in a hurry:
People were struggling with bags and cases, looking hot and bothered.
12. have/hold something in your hot little hand informal used to emphasize that you have something:
You’ll have the report in your hot little hands by Monday.
13. RECENT/EXCITING NEWS hot news is about very recent events and therefore interesting or exciting:
Do you want to hear about all the latest hot gossip?
14. be hot off the press if news or a newspaper is hot off the press, it has just recently been printed
15. CHASING SOMEBODY/SOMETHING CLOSELY
a) in hot pursuit following someone quickly and closely because you want to catch them:
The car sped away, with the police in hot pursuit.
b) hot on sb’s trail/tail close to and likely to catch someone you have been chasing:
The other car was hot on his tail.
c) hot on sb’s heels following very close behind someone:
Mrs Bass’s dog was already hot on his heels.
16. come/follow hot on the heels of something to happen or be done very soon after something else:
The news came hot on the heels of another plane crash.
17. hot on the trail of something very close to finding something:
journalists hot on the trail of a news story
18. blow/go hot and cold to keep changing your mind about whether you like or want to do something:
She keeps blowing hot and cold about the wedding.
19. go hot and cold to experience a strange feeling in which your body temperature suddenly changes, because you are very frightened, worried, or shocked
20. I don’t feel too hot/so hot/very hot spoken informal I feel slightly ill:
I’m not feeling too hot today.
21. be hot on something informal
a) to know a lot about something:
He’s pretty hot on aircraft.
b) British English to be very strict about something SYN tight:
The company is very hot on security.
22. be hot for something informal to be ready for something and want it very much:
Europe is hot for a product like this.
He was hot for revenge.
23. be hot to trot informal
a) to be ready to do something or be involved with something
b) to feel sexually excited and want to have sex with someone
24. hot competition if the competition between people or companies is hot, they are all trying very hard to win or succeed:
Competition for the best jobs is getting hotter all the time.
25. hot favourite the person, team, horse etc that people think is most likely to win
26. hot tip a good piece of advice about the likely result of a race, business deal etc:
a hot tip on the stock market
27. STOLEN GOODS informal goods that are hot have been stolen
28. MUSIC informal music that is hot has a strong exciting ↑rhythm
29. more something than you’ve had hot dinners British English spoken humorous used to say that someone has had a lot of experience of something and has done it many times:
She’s delivered more babies than you’ve had hot dinners.
30. hot money money that is frequently moved from one country to another in order to make a profit
⇨ ↑hotly, ↑hots
• • •
THESAURUS
■ person
▪ hot used especially when you feel uncomfortable: I feel really hot. | The travellers were hot, tired, and thirsty.
▪ warm a little hot, especially in a way that feels comfortable: Are you warm enough? | We had to keep moving in order to keep warm.
▪ boiling (hot) spoken very hot: You must be boiling in that sweater! | ‘I’m going for a swim,' said Gary. ’I’m boiling.' | I felt boiling hot and tried to open one of the windows.
▪ feverish feeling very hot because you are ill: His head ached and he felt feverish. | Hannah was slightly feverish, so we decided to call the doctor.
■ weather
▪ hot used especially when you feel uncomfortable: a hot day | It’s too hot to do any work.
▪ warm a little hot, especially in a way that seems pleasant: a warm summer’s evening | It’s supposed to be a bit warmer tomorrow.
▪ boiling (hot) spoken very hot: The weather was boiling hot. | a boiling hot day | It was absolutely boiling this lunchtime.
▪ baking (hot) British English very hot and dry: a baking hot afternoon | The weather was baking hot and conditions at the camp became unbearable. | It’s baking out there in the garden – I need a drink.
▪ scorching (hot) very hot: It was another scorching hot July day. | When we got there, the weather was scorching. | Arizona is scorching hot every day.
▪ humid/muggy hot and damp: This week sees a return to more humid conditions. | Hong Kong gets very humid at this time of year. | In June the weather was often muggy in the evenings. | It was a warm muggy afternoon, and it looked like it would rain.
■ room
▪ hot used especially when you feel uncomfortable: The office was uncomfortably hot. | The meeting was in a tiny hot room with no air conditioning.
▪ warm a little hot, especially in a way that seems pleasant: It’s nice and warm by the fire. | They were all sitting in the warm kitchen, sipping mugs of cocoa.
▪ boiling (hot) spoken very hot: It’s boiling in here. Can I open the window? | a boiling hot New York recording studio
▪ like an oven much too hot in a way that is uncomfortable – used about rooms and buildings: The inside of the shed was like an oven.
■ food/liquid/something you touch
▪ hot: a hot drink | hot meals | Eat your food while it’s hot.
▪ warm a little hot, especially in a way that seems pleasant: The bread was still warm from the oven. | the warm waters of the Caribbean
▪ boiling (hot) spoken very hot: The water’s boiling hot. | Boiling-hot steam shoots out from underground. | The mud in the pools is boiling.
▪ lukewarm /ˌluːkˈwɔːm◂ $ -ˈwɔːrm◂/ slightly warm, but not hot enough – used about liquids: a cup of lukewarm coffee | The bath water was lukewarm.