hot

hot [ hat ] adjective ***

▸ 1 very high in temperature

▸ 2 food: with spices

▸ 3 involving strong emotion

▸ 4 exciting and interesting

▸ 5 very good/skillful/lucky

▸ 6 difficult/dangerous

▸ 7 involving sex

▸ 8 determined to do something

▸ 9 busy

▸ 10 stolen/being looked for

▸ 11 close to guessing something

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) very high in temperature:

Cook the fish on a hot grill for 5 minutes.

Her forehead still feels hot.

It's so hot in here can't we open a window?

boiling/scalding hot (=extremely hot): a pan of boiling hot water

a ) feeling uncomfortable because the temperature is too high or you are wearing too many clothes:

Take your jacket off if you're hot.

b ) used about the weather:

It's going to be hot again today.

c ) where the weather is often hot:

hot countries such as India and Panama

d ) cooked and served hot:

I haven't had a hot meal in days.

─ opposite COLD

2. ) hot food contains a lot of SPICES that create a burning feeling in your mouth: SPICY

3. ) INFORMAL involving strong emotions:

a hot love affair/romance

have a hot temper (=get angry easily): Our coach has a really hot temper.

a ) a hot issue is important and causes arguments because people strongly disagree:

Health care became a hot topic during the presidential campaign.

4. ) INFORMAL exciting and interesting, especially because of being new:

hot news about impending changes in Cabinet

the hot new look in women's fashions

a ) exciting, successful, and popular:

one of Hollywood's hottest young directors

a hot property: She's a very hot property in television.

5. ) INFORMAL especially good in some way:

a hot tip (=a useful piece of advice)

a ) very skilful:

a hot musician/dancer/player

hot at: Kyle's pretty hot at tennis.

b ) very lucky:

hot cards/dice

6. ) difficult or dangerous:

hot for: When things got too hot for her at home, she'd stay with a friend.

a ) containing a dangerous level of uncontrolled energy, especially electricity or RADIOACTIVITY

7. ) INFORMAL involving sexual feelings or images:

love scenes that are too hot for TV

a ) sexually attractive

b ) eager to have sex

8. ) INFORMAL determined to do something:

hot for: Hot for revenge, the soldiers marched northward toward the capital.

hot to do something: Gail's very hot to travel and teach in South America.

9. ) INFORMAL involving a lot of activity or competition:

The property market is very hot these days.

hot competition: There is hot competition from other companies to win the contract.

10. ) INFORMAL stolen and being looked for by the police:

a hot car

11. ) SPOKEN used in a children's game for saying that you are very close to finding something, or guessing the right answer

─ opposite COLD

(all) hot and bothered

upset and confused, for example because you have too much to do: FLUSTERED

go hot and cold

to suddenly become very nervous, afraid, or confused about something

hot off the press(es)/fax machine etc.

only just printed or only just received

hot on something

interested in something and knowing a lot about it:

Elizabeth's really hot on nuclear physics.

They're very hot on safety in the workplace.

hot on the heels of

arriving or happening very close behind someone or something

hot on the trail of

1. ) very close behind someone or something, and about to catch them:

He got away but the police are hot on his trail.

2. ) very close to finding something

hot to trot AMERICAN INFORMAL

eager to do something, especially to have sex

hot under the collar

angry or annoyed

in hot pursuit

chasing someone in a very determined way

in hot water

in trouble because of something you have done:

land/get someone in hot water: Rick's temper had landed him in hot water again.

not so/too hot SPOKEN

1. ) not of a very high quality or standard

2. ) not feeling very well or very happy

run/blow hot and cold

to change your mind a lot about whether you like someone or something

too hot to handle

too difficult or dangerous to get involved with