hot
♦♦ hot /h'ɒt/ (hotter hottest hots hotting hotted)
1 [ADJ]
Something that is hot has a high temperature.
When the oil is hot, add the sliced onion...
What he needed was a hot bath and a good sleep...
≠ cold, cool
2 [ADJ]
Hot is used to describe the weather or the air in a room or building when the temperature is high.
It was too hot even for a gentle stroll...
It was a hot, humid summer day...
≠ chilly, cold
3 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If you are hot, you feel as if your body is at an unpleasantly high temperature.
I was too hot and tired to eat more than a few mouthfuls...
≠ cold
4 [ADJ]
You can say that food is hot when it has a strong, burning taste caused by chillies, pepper, or ginger.
...hot curries.
...a dish that's spicy but not too hot.
= spicy
≠ mild
5 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A hot issue or topic is one that is very important at the present time and is receiving a lot of publicity. (JOURNALISM)
The role of women in war has been a hot topic of debate in America since the Gulf conflict.
6 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Hot news is new, recent, and fresh. (INFORMAL)
...eight pages of the latest movies, video releases and the hot news from Tinseltown.
7 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
You can use hot to describe something that is very exciting and that many people want to see, use, obtain, or become involved with. (INFORMAL)
The hottest show in town was the Monet Exhibition at the Art Institute...
8 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
You can use hot to describe something that no one wants to deal with, often because it has been illegally obtained and is very valuable or famous. (INFORMAL)
If too much publicity is given to the theft of important works, the works will become too hot to handle and be destroyed.
9 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
You can describe a situation that is created by a person's behaviour or attitude as hot when it is unpleasant and difficult to deal with. (INFORMAL)
When the streets get too hot for them, they head south in one stolen car after another.
10 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A hot contest is one that is intense and involves a great deal of activity and determination. (INFORMAL)
It took hot competition from abroad, however, to show us just how good Scottish cashmere really is.
= fierce
11 [ADJ] ADJ n
If a person or team is the hot favourite, people think that they are the one most likely to win a race or competition.
Atlantic City is the hot favourite to stage the fight.
12 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Someone who has a hot temper gets angry very quickly and easily.
His hot temper was making it increasingly difficult for others to work with him.
see also hot-tempered
13 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR on/over/about n
If someone blows hot and cold, they keep changing their attitude towards something, sometimes being very enthusiastic and at other times expressing no interest at all.
The media, meanwhile, has blown hot and cold on the affair.
14 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, oft PHR about n
If you are hot and bothered, you are so worried and anxious that you cannot think clearly or behave sensibly.
Ray was getting very hot and bothered about the idea.
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that one person has the hots for another, you mean that they feel a strong sexual attraction to that person. (INFORMAL)
I've had the hots for him ever since he came to college.hot air
[N-UNCOUNT]
If you say that someone's claims or promises are just hot air, you are criticizing them because they are made mainly to impress people and have no real value or meaning. (INFORMAL)
His justification for the merger was just hot air...hot but|ton (hot buttons)
[N-COUNT] oft N n
A hot button is a subject or problem that people have very strong feelings about. (mainly AM JOURNALISM)
Abortion is still one of the hot button issues of US life.hot dog (hot dogs)
[N-COUNT]
A hot dog is a long bread roll with a hot sausage inside it.hot flash (hot flashes)
[N-COUNT]
A hot flash is the same as a hot flush. (AM)hot flush (hot flushes)
[N-COUNT]
A hot flush is a sudden hot feeling in the skin which women often experience at the time of their menopause. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use hot flash)hot key (hot keys)
[N-COUNT]
A hot key is a key, or a combination of keys, on a computer keyboard that you can press in order to make something happen, without having to type the full instructions. (COMPUTING)hot link (hot links)
[N-COUNT]
A hot link is a word or phrase in a hypertext document that can be selected in order to access additional information. (COMPUTING)hot po|ta|to (hot potatoes)
[N-COUNT]
If you describe a problem or issue as a hot potato, you mean that it is very difficult and nobody wants to deal with it. (INFORMAL)hot rod (hot rods)
[N-COUNT]
A hot rod is a fast car used for racing, especially an old car fitted with a new engine. (INFORMAL)hot seat
[PHRASE] usu in/into PHR
If you are in the hot seat, you are responsible for making important and difficult decisions. (INFORMAL)
He is to remain in the hot seat as chief executive.hot spot (hot spots)
also hotspot
1 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to an exciting place where there is a lot of activity or entertainment as a hot spot. (INFORMAL)
...a popular and lively package tour hotspot.
2 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to an area where there is fighting or serious political trouble as a hot spot. (JOURNALISM)
There were many hot spots in the region, where fighting had been going on.hot stuff
[N-UNCOUNT]
If you think that someone or something is hot stuff, you find them exciting or sexually attractive. (INFORMAL)
His love letters were hot stuff, apparently.hot tub (hot tubs)
[N-COUNT]
A hot tub is a very large, round bath which several people can sit in together.hot up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
When something hots up, it becomes more active or exciting. (BRIT)
The bars rarely hot up before 1am...pip|ing hot
also piping-hot
[ADJ]
Food or water that is piping hot is very hot.
...large cups of piping-hot coffee...
1 [ADJ]
Something that is hot has a high temperature.
When the oil is hot, add the sliced onion...
What he needed was a hot bath and a good sleep...
≠ cold, cool
2 [ADJ]
Hot is used to describe the weather or the air in a room or building when the temperature is high.
It was too hot even for a gentle stroll...
It was a hot, humid summer day...
≠ chilly, cold
3 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If you are hot, you feel as if your body is at an unpleasantly high temperature.
I was too hot and tired to eat more than a few mouthfuls...
≠ cold
4 [ADJ]
You can say that food is hot when it has a strong, burning taste caused by chillies, pepper, or ginger.
...hot curries.
...a dish that's spicy but not too hot.
= spicy
≠ mild
5 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A hot issue or topic is one that is very important at the present time and is receiving a lot of publicity. (JOURNALISM)
The role of women in war has been a hot topic of debate in America since the Gulf conflict.
6 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Hot news is new, recent, and fresh. (INFORMAL)
...eight pages of the latest movies, video releases and the hot news from Tinseltown.
7 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
You can use hot to describe something that is very exciting and that many people want to see, use, obtain, or become involved with. (INFORMAL)
The hottest show in town was the Monet Exhibition at the Art Institute...
8 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
You can use hot to describe something that no one wants to deal with, often because it has been illegally obtained and is very valuable or famous. (INFORMAL)
If too much publicity is given to the theft of important works, the works will become too hot to handle and be destroyed.
9 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
You can describe a situation that is created by a person's behaviour or attitude as hot when it is unpleasant and difficult to deal with. (INFORMAL)
When the streets get too hot for them, they head south in one stolen car after another.
10 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A hot contest is one that is intense and involves a great deal of activity and determination. (INFORMAL)
It took hot competition from abroad, however, to show us just how good Scottish cashmere really is.
= fierce
11 [ADJ] ADJ n
If a person or team is the hot favourite, people think that they are the one most likely to win a race or competition.
Atlantic City is the hot favourite to stage the fight.
12 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Someone who has a hot temper gets angry very quickly and easily.
His hot temper was making it increasingly difficult for others to work with him.
see also hot-tempered
13 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR on/over/about n
If someone blows hot and cold, they keep changing their attitude towards something, sometimes being very enthusiastic and at other times expressing no interest at all.
The media, meanwhile, has blown hot and cold on the affair.
14 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, oft PHR about n
If you are hot and bothered, you are so worried and anxious that you cannot think clearly or behave sensibly.
Ray was getting very hot and bothered about the idea.
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that one person has the hots for another, you mean that they feel a strong sexual attraction to that person. (INFORMAL)
I've had the hots for him ever since he came to college.hot air
[N-UNCOUNT]
If you say that someone's claims or promises are just hot air, you are criticizing them because they are made mainly to impress people and have no real value or meaning. (INFORMAL)
His justification for the merger was just hot air...hot but|ton (hot buttons)
[N-COUNT] oft N n
A hot button is a subject or problem that people have very strong feelings about. (mainly AM JOURNALISM)
Abortion is still one of the hot button issues of US life.hot dog (hot dogs)
[N-COUNT]
A hot dog is a long bread roll with a hot sausage inside it.hot flash (hot flashes)
[N-COUNT]
A hot flash is the same as a hot flush. (AM)hot flush (hot flushes)
[N-COUNT]
A hot flush is a sudden hot feeling in the skin which women often experience at the time of their menopause. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use hot flash)hot key (hot keys)
[N-COUNT]
A hot key is a key, or a combination of keys, on a computer keyboard that you can press in order to make something happen, without having to type the full instructions. (COMPUTING)hot link (hot links)
[N-COUNT]
A hot link is a word or phrase in a hypertext document that can be selected in order to access additional information. (COMPUTING)hot po|ta|to (hot potatoes)
[N-COUNT]
If you describe a problem or issue as a hot potato, you mean that it is very difficult and nobody wants to deal with it. (INFORMAL)hot rod (hot rods)
[N-COUNT]
A hot rod is a fast car used for racing, especially an old car fitted with a new engine. (INFORMAL)hot seat
[PHRASE] usu in/into PHR
If you are in the hot seat, you are responsible for making important and difficult decisions. (INFORMAL)
He is to remain in the hot seat as chief executive.hot spot (hot spots)
also hotspot
1 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to an exciting place where there is a lot of activity or entertainment as a hot spot. (INFORMAL)
...a popular and lively package tour hotspot.
2 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to an area where there is fighting or serious political trouble as a hot spot. (JOURNALISM)
There were many hot spots in the region, where fighting had been going on.hot stuff
[N-UNCOUNT]
If you think that someone or something is hot stuff, you find them exciting or sexually attractive. (INFORMAL)
His love letters were hot stuff, apparently.hot tub (hot tubs)
[N-COUNT]
A hot tub is a very large, round bath which several people can sit in together.hot up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
When something hots up, it becomes more active or exciting. (BRIT)
The bars rarely hot up before 1am...pip|ing hot
also piping-hot
[ADJ]
Food or water that is piping hot is very hot.
...large cups of piping-hot coffee...