hotBrE /hɒt/ NAmE /hɑːt/► SEE ALLbe hot to trotgo hot and cold (all over)hot air(all) hot and bothereda hot line (to sb)hot off the presshot on sb’s/sth’s tracks/traila hot potatoa hot spothot stuffhot under the collarin hot pursuit (of sb/sth)in the hot seatin hot watermake it hot for sbmore …/more often than sb has had hot dinnersnot so/too hotsell/go like hot cakestoo hot for sbblow hot and coldlike a cat on hot brickshard/hot on sb’s heelsstrike while the iron is hot ●be ˌhot to ˈtrot (informal) 1.be very enthusiastic about starting an activity热切期待(某项活动)◆She’s hot to trot and ready to start work next week if we want her to. 要是我们同意的话,她迫不及待地想下周就开始上班。2.be excited in a sexual way欲火中烧;性欲冲动●go ˌhot and ˈcold (all ˈover) (informal) suddenly feel very worried, upset or frightened when you remember sth very unpleasant(因回忆起不好的事而)突然感到焦虑(或恐惧)◆I go hot and cold all over when I think of that train accident. It was so terrible. 一想起那次火车事故,我就万分恐惧,真是太可怕了。●hot ˈair (informal) impressive but worthless or empty promises空话;夸夸其谈◆Don’t believe anything she says. It’s all hot air. 不要相信她说的话,全都是夸夸其谈。●(all) hot and ˈbothered (informal) worried and upset焦灼不安;心慌意乱◆Ministers are getting all hot and bothered about official secrets getting out. 官方机密泄露,部长们都焦灼不安。◆You’re looking a bit hot and bothered. Is everything OK? 你看上去有点心神不宁,没事儿吧?●a ˈhot line (to sb)a special telephone line to an important person, such as a president, etc. which is used in emergencies热线◆The President of the United States spoke on the hot line with the Prime Minister about the crisis. 美国总统与首相通过热线电话讨论了本次危机。●ˌhot off the ˈpressnews that is hot off the press has just appeared in the newspapers and is fresh and usually exciting最新报道;新出炉的消息◆Listen to this story — it’s hot off the press! 听听这条新闻,这是最新报道!NOTE Paper that has just been printed on a press(= printing machine) is still warm.刚从印刷机(press)上印出的纸还是暖烘烘的。●hot on sb’s/sth’s ˈtracks/ˈtrail (informal) close to catching or finding the person or thing that you have been chasing or searching for紧追;快要抓到,即将找到(人或物)◆The burglar ran away, with the police hot on his trail. 窃贼逃跑了,警察紧追不舍。●a hot poˈtato (informal) a very sensitive matter that is difficult or embarrassing to deal with棘手的问题;敏感话题;烫手山芋◆His resignation is a political hot potato. 他的辞职是一个敏感的政治话题。●a ˈhot spot (informal) 1.a place where fighting is common, especially for political reasons(尤指因政治原因而)冲突不断的地方;热点地区◆As a journalist, I get sent to one hot spot after another. 作为记者,我被派往一个个热点地区。2.a place where there is a lot of activity or entertainment热闹的娱乐场所;夜生活中心◆We went clubbing in some of Ibiza’s most famous hot spots. 我们去伊维萨岛一些最著名的娱乐区逛夜总会。●hot ˈstuff (informal, especially BrE) 1.sb/sth of very high quality了不起的人/事物◆He’s really hot stuff as a tennis player. 他确实是网球高手。2.a sexually attractive person; a film/movie, book, etc. that is exciting in a sexual way性感的人;色情电影(或书籍等)◆She seems to think he’s really hot stuff. 她好像觉得他很性感。◆His new book is really hot stuff. 他新书中的性描写非常火辣。●hot under the ˈcollar (informal) annoyed, embarrassed or excited生气;窘迫;紧张不安◆He gets very hot under the collar if people disagree with him. 别人要是跟他有分歧,他就很生气。●in hot purˈsuit (of sb/sth)chasing sb; trying to catch sb(对…)穷追不舍◆He grabbed the jewels and ran, with several customers in hot pursuit. 他抓起珠宝就跑,几名顾客在后面穷追不舍。●in the ˈhot seat (informal) a position of responsibility in which you must deal with difficult questions, criticism or attacks处境尴尬;处于困境◆Our radio phone-in today is on transport, and the Minister of Transport will be in the hot seat, ready to answer your questions. 今天我们的听众来电直播节目的主题是交通,交通部长将会直面大家的质疑和批评,并回答大家的问题。●in hot ˈwater (informal) in trouble处于困境◆She got into hot water for being late. 她因迟到遇到些麻烦。◆The new clerk was in hot water because she forgot to ask for a receipt for the money. 新来的职员忘了要收据,惹了麻烦。◆This sort of behaviour will land him in hot water. 他的这种行为会给他带来麻烦的。●make it ˈhot for sb (informal) make a situation very difficult or uncomfortable for sb不让某人好过;刁难某人◆If you insist on staying here, I can make it very hot for you. 你要是坚持呆在这儿,我会让你日子很难过的。●more …/more often than sb has had hot ˈdinners (informal, oftenhumorous) used for emphasizing how much/many or how often sb has done sth(用于强调)比你吃饭的次数还多,太多次,很多◆He’s won more medals than you’ve had hot dinners. 他得的奖牌都数不过来了。◆She’s been to France more often than you’ve had hot dinners. 她去过无数次法国。●not so/too ˈhot (informal) not very well, healthy, etc.; not very good不舒服;不得劲;不太好◆‘How do you feel today?’ ‘Not so hot.’ “你今天觉得怎么样?”“不大舒服。”◆Her work’s not too hot, is it? I thought she’d be better than this! 她干得不怎么样,对吗?我以为她会干得不错呢!●sell/go like ˈhot cakes (informal) be sold quickly in great quantities畅销;热卖◆The band’s latest record is selling like hot cakes. 乐队的最新专辑正在热卖中。●too ˈhot for sb ( too hot to ˈhandle) (informal) (too) difficult, dangerous, etc. for sb(对某人而言)很困难(或危险等)◆When the scandal became public, things got too hot for the Minister and she resigned. 丑闻传出后,形势对部长非常不利,她只得辞职。◆The newspapers won’t print the story — it’s just too hot to handle. 报纸不愿意刊载这篇报道 - 太敏感了,不好处理。●blow hot and ˈcold (informal) keep changing your opinions about sb/sth拿不定主意;出尔反尔;冷热无常◆She keeps blowing hot and cold about the job: one day she says it’s marvellous, the next she hates it.她对这份工作的态度反复无常:今天说它好极了,明天又讨厌它。●like a ˌcat on hot ˈbricks (BrE) (NAmE, less frequentlike a ˌcat on a hot tin ˈroof) (informal) very nervous局促不安;如坐针毡;像热锅上的蚂蚁◆He’ll be like a cat on hot bricks till he gets his exam results.他在知道考试结果前会一直局促不安。●hard/hot on sb’s ˈheelsfollowing sb closely because you want to catch them跟踪;追赶;紧随其后◆Jane has the most points at the moment, but the other competitors are hot on her heels.现在简得分最高,但是其他选手的分数和她咬得很紧。◆The police are hard on his heels.警察在严密跟踪他。●ˌstrike while the ˌiron is ˈhot (saying) do sth immediately because now is a particularly good time to do it趁热打铁;勿错失良机◆He seems in a good mood. Why don’t you strike while the iron is hot and ask him now?他似乎心情不错。你为什么现在不趁热打铁去问他呢?ORIGINA blacksmith (= a person who makes things out of iron) must strike(= hit) the iron while it is hot enough to be bent into the shape required.铁匠(blacksmith)须趁铁通红的时候把铁打成所需的形状。