Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: hat

hot

1 adjective
     
Related topics: Music
hot1 S1 W2 comparative hotter, superlative hottest
1

high temperature

a) something that is hot has a high temperature - used about weather, places, food, drink, or objects [≠ 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)
boiling/broiling AmE scorching/baking/roasting hot (=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 [≠ 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)
Her new book is supposed to be the hottest thing since Harry Potter.
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 somebody'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 somebody'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 [= 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 stockmarket
27

stolen goods

informal goods that are hot have been stolen
28

music

informalAPM 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

BF money that is frequently moved from one country to another in order to make a profit
➔ hotly, hotsWORD FOCUS: taste WORD FOCUS: taste
delicious/tasty tastes very good
disgusting tastes very bad
hot/spicy has a lot of spices
bland boring and with not very much taste
sweet has a lot of sugar
salty has a lot of salt
sour used about fruit that is not sweet
bitter used about coffee, chocolate, or medicine that is not at all sweettaste

➔ See also taste
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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