| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| hot |
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| PRONUNCIATION: |  h t |
| ADJECTIVE: | Inflected forms: hot·ter, hot·test
1a. Having or giving off heat; capable of burning. b. Being at a high temperature. 2. Being at or exhibiting a temperature that is higher than normal or desirable: a hot forehead. 3. Causing a burning sensation, as in the mouth; spicy: hot peppers; a hot curry. 4a. Charged or energized with electricity: a hot wire. b. Radioactive, especially to a dangerous degree. 5a. Marked by intensity of emotion; ardent or fiery: a hot temper. b. Having or displaying great enthusiasm; eager: hot for travel. 6a. Informal Arousing intense interest, excitement, or controversy: a hot new book; a hot topic. b. Informal Marked by excited activity or energy: a hot week on the stock market. c. Violent; raging: a hot battle. 7. Slang Sexually excited or exciting. 8. Slang a. Recently stolen: a hot car. b. Wanted by the police: a hot suspect. 9. Close to a successful solution or conclusion: hot on the trail. 10. Informal a. Most recent; new or fresh: a hot news item; the hot fashions for fall. b. Currently very popular or successful: one of the hottest young talents around. c. Requiring immediate action or attention: a hot opportunity. 11. Slang Very good or impressive. Often used in the negative: I'm not so hot at math. 12. Slang Funny or absurd: told a hot one about the neighbors' dog. 13. Slang a. Performing with great skill and daring: a hot drummer. b. Having or characterized by repeated successes: a player who is on a hot streak. c. Fast and responsive: a hot sports car. d. Unusually lucky: hot at craps. 14. Music Of, relating to, or being an emotionally charged style of performance marked by strong rhythms and improvisation: hot jazz. 15. Bold and bright. | | NOUN: | hots (hts) Slang Strong sexual attraction or desire. Used with the. | | ADVERB: | 1. In a hot manner; hotly. 2. While hot: foods that are best eaten hot. | | TRANSITIVE VERB: | Inflected forms: hot·ted, hot·ting, hots
Informal To cause to increase in intensity or excitement. Often used with up: “His book is an exercise in the fashionable art of instant history, in which every episode is hotted up with an anecdote” (Harper's). | | IDIOMS: | hot and bothered Informal In a state of agitated excitement; flustered: all hot and bothered before the opening performance. hot and heavy 1. Informal Passionate or intense: Interest in the new stock was hot and heavy. 2. Characterized by or engaging in amorous or sexual activity. hot to trot Slang 1. Sexually avid; lascivious. 2. Ready and willing; eager. hot under the collar Informal Angry. make it hot for Slang To make things uncomfortable or dangerous for: Don't make it hot for yourself by needlessly finding fault. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English, from Old English h t. See kai- in Appendix I. | | OTHER FORMS: | hot ness —NOUN
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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