| trouble; a predicament: His skipping classes will get him into real hot water when exam time comes. |
| hot water n. Trouble; difficulty: is in political hot water; got into hot water over the car deal. |
hot water
Trouble or difficulty, as in She's deep in political hot water, or We got in hot water over the car deal, or He's finally paid his tuition and is out of hot water with the school. This metaphoric term alludes to water hot enough to burn one. [First half of 1500s] Also see in trouble with.