adjective
hot
Likely to bring danger or unwanted official attention.
The dealer refuses to buy the watches because they're hot.
Etymology
Heat became a metaphor for intense pressure or danger. Something hot, such as stolen goods, is risky to possess because it can attract police attention.
More examples
- The stolen car is too hot to sell locally.
- The warehouse is too hot to use after the police raid.
- With detectives watching him, the fugitive is too hot to shelter.
Forms
hot · hotter · hottest
Similar words
- stolen
- Specifies theft without necessarily suggesting immediate danger or police attention.
- incriminating
- Suggests evidence of wrongdoing rather than general danger or scrutiny.
- risky
- Describes possible harm broadly, without implying theft or official scrutiny.