hot

Etymology

From Middle English hot, hat, from Old English hāt, from Proto-Germanic *haitaz (“hot”), from Proto-Indo-European *kay- (“hot; to heat”). Cognate with Scots hate, hait (“hot”), North Frisian hiet (“hot”), Saterland Frisian heet (“hot”), West Frisian hjit (“hot”), Dutch heet (“hot”), Low German het (“hot”), German Low German heet (“hot”), German heiß (“hot”), Danish hed (“hot”), Swedish het (“hot”), Icelandic heitur (“hot”).

adj

1. Relating to heat and conditions which produce it.
   1. (of an object) Having or giving off a high temperature.
      He forgot that the frying pan was hot and burned his hand.
      It is too hot to be outside.
      It is hotter in summer than in winter.
   2. (of a person or animal) Feeling the sensation of heat">heat, especially to the point of discomfort.
      I was so hot from being in the sun too long.
      Aren't you hot with that thick coat on?
   3. Feverish.
2. Active, in use or ready for use (like a bullet or a firing range), turned on (like a microphone or camera).
   1. (US, not comparable) Electrically charged.
      a hot wire
   2. (informal) Radioactive.
3. (figurative) Relating to excited emotions.
   1. (of a temper) Easily provoked to anger.
      Be careful, he has a hot temper and may take it out on you.
   2. (colloquial, of a person) Very physically and/or sexually attractive.
      That stripper is hot!
   3. (colloquial) Sexual or sexy; involving sexual intercourse or sexual excitement.
      There was only one problem. Paul was HIV positive. And just a few weeks after his hot encounter with Max, a letter arrived for him, containing some legalese about HIV infection being a criminal act, with a few chilling words 2010, Rick R. Reed, Moving Toward The Light, page 50
   4. (slang) Sexually aroused; randy.
      Enough foreplay! You’ve gotten me so hot already!
   5. (slang, with for) Extremely attracted to.
      hot for her English teacher
4. Relating to popularity, quality, or the state of being interesting.
   1. (informal) Very good, remarkable, exciting.
      He's a hot young player, we should give him a trial.
   2. Popular; in demand.
      This new pickup is so hot we can't keep it in stock!
   3. Of great current interest; provoking current debate or controversy.
      a hot topic
      The bluebloods of golf began pouring into the sweltering nation’s capital yesterday for the 64th U.S. Open championship, and the hottest topic was not Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus, but Champagne Tony Lema. 1964-06-16, “All Eyes On Lema At U.S. Open This Week”, in The Indianapolis Star, volume 62, number 11, Indianapolis, Ind., page 22
   4. Performing strongly; having repeated successes.
      "Keep going! You're hot tonight!" urged Wally. 1938, Harold M. Sherman, "Shooting Stars," Boys' Life (March 1938), Published by Boy Scouts of America, p.5
      The ball lands on the fairway, just a couple of yards in front of the green. "Nice shot Sarah! You're hot today!" Jenny says. 2002, Peter Krause, Andy King, Play-By-Play Golf, First Avenue Editions, page 55
   5. Fresh; just released.
      A kid can stand in the street and sell newspapers, if the headlines are hot. 1960, Super Market Institute, Super Markets of the Sixties: Findings, recommendations.- v.2. The plans and sketches, page 30
      Some of these publications show signs of hasty production, indicating that they were written while the news was hot. 2000, David Cressy, Travesties and transgressions in Tudor and Stuart England: tales of discord and dissension, Oxford University Press, page 34
5. Relating to danger or risk.
   1. Uncomfortable, difficult to deal with; awkward, dangerous, unpleasant.
      The car sped along. She kept her foot permanently on the accelerator, and took every corner at an acute angle. Two motorists we passed looked out of their windows outraged as she swept by, and one pedestrian in a lane waved his stick at her. I felt rather hot for her. She did not seem to notice though. I crouched lower in my seat. 1938, Daphne de Maurier, Rebecca
      I've been living here a few weeks and it's starting to get a little hot for me … I've written myself out of several states in the last six years. 1997, David Wojnarowicz, Amy Scholder, The Waterfront Journals
      The police are looking for an anarchist who answers my description, seen leaving the house the day before the fire; there was an explosion[…]So what with one thing and another, His Grace thinks the country a little hot for me now 1999, Sam Llewellyn, The shadow in the sands, page 68
      "Things are a little hot for us in San Francisco. We'll burn the vardo at Drake's Bay and then head to your place." "Things are hot, so you're heading to my place?" "Hot's not a big deal. Just a matter of jurisdiction and time. 2004, Meredith Blevins, The Hummingbird Wizard, page 197
      I'd also thought things might have gotten a little hot for him in Atlantic City, so he'd moved West to its bigger, badder cousin, where he wasn't as well known 2008, Charlaine Harris, Toni L. P. Kelner, Wolfsbane and Mistletoe, page 287
   2. (slang) Characterized by police presence or activity.
      I wouldn't speed through here if I was you. This area is hot this time of night.
   3. (slang) Stolen.
      hot merchandise
      The camera was hot. Buying a hot camera was a parole violation. 2010, Robert Eversz, Burning Garbo: A Nina Zero Novel, Simon and Schuster, page 17
   4. (slang, of a draft/check) Not covered by funds on account.
      I wouldn't trust him. He gave me a hot check last week.
6. Very close to finding or guessing something to be found or guessed.
   Am I warm yet? — You're hot!
   He was hot on her tail.
7. (of food) Spicy, pungent, piquant, as some chilis and other spices are.
   This kind of chili pepper is way too hot for my taste.
8. (of an electric musical instrument) Loud, producing a strong electric signal for the amplifier.
9. (slang) Used to emphasize the short duration or small quantity of something
   He was finished in a hot minute.
   I dated him for a hot second.
10. (slang, of a vehicle or aircraft) Extremely fast or with great speed.
    Brace yourselves; we're going in a little hot! 25 September 2007, Bungie, Halo 3, v1.0, Microsoft Game Studios, [[w:Xbox 360, level/area: The Covenant|Xbox 360, level/area: The Covenant]]
    That plane's coming in hot!
    a hot pass

adv

1. Hotly, at a high temperature.
   Oak burns hot and lasts a long time. Its smoke is a medium to heavy flavor but not too overpowering. It leaves a buttersmooth, nutty finish. 2013, Ted Reader, Gastro Grilling: Fired-up Recipes To Grill Great Everyday Meals, Penguin Canada
2. Rapidly, quickly.
   Whatever happened, braking into the next-to-last hairpin, a blue-sky turn called Cog Cut, Durelle went in too hot. 1994, Cycle World Magazine, page 74
   He went in hotter than he could have, the Cforce snugging him into the bucket seat. At the first switchback, there was already a hundred-foot drop-off […] 2009, Dan Vining, Among the Living, Penguin
   He rolled over on his belly and raised up enough to see the second chopper coming in hotter, more deliberately than the first. Hollister grabbed Jrae by the ... 2014, Dennis Foley, Take Back the Night: A Novel of Vietnam, Open Road Media
   They were coming in hotter than Dash liked, nose down toward the watery surface […] 2016, Patrick Carman, Omega Rising, Random House Books for Young Readers, page 26
   “When landing on dirt, gravel, or pavement, you'll be coming in hotter, faster than a runway made of grass, so try and keep that in mind. 2019, David W. Nelson, Ghost Squadron: Wwii Teenage Pilot
   "You're coming in hotter than we'd like." "Roger that, Huygens, increasing reverse thrust by 20%." 2021, Christine D. Shuck, G581: Mars
3. (especially in the phrase "come in hot", "go in hot") While shooting, while firing one's weapon(s).
   We would pop over the riverbank and come down hot (shooting) on a designated target. […] We started rolling in hot with rockets, then suddenly we started taking fire from the […] 2015, Dave Barr, Four Flags, The Odyssey of a Professional Soldier: Part 1: US Marine Corps Vietnam 1969-72, Israeli Defence Force 1975-77, Helion and Company, page 121
   "Shakedown is rolling in hot in Nakhoney right now. You're just in time. They've been getting shot at and are in overwatch for India 21 patrolling," […] 2016, Stephen Robertson CD BA ATPL, Go for Shakedown, Xlibris Corporation

verb

1. (with up) To heat; to make or become hot.
2. (with up) To become lively or exciting.
   Turf war's hotting up. 2018, “Clean Slate”, in Wentworth