It’s 90°F (32°C) here in Nashville today, and it will probably get hotter before summer ends. We’re in the dog days of summer (a funny idiom that means “the hottest days of the summer”.) English has  lots of common idioms about heat, so we’re adding 10 more to follow our most popular post from 2011, Hot Idioms for Summer.

Try to guess the meaning on the bold idiom in each sentence before you scroll down to check your answers.

  1. Because of the World Cup and the Olympics, Rio has become a hot spot for tourists.
  2. She’s quite hotheaded; whenever someone makes a mistake, she yells at them.
  3. The politician is full of hot air; don’t believe anything he says.
  4. Immigration has become a hot-button issue in Europe; people have strong feelings for or against letting immigrants enter their countries.
  5. The terrorist attack is a hot topic. It’s been on the news every night.
  6. That soccer player is a real hotshot. He’s good, but he talks too much about himself.
  7. The police were hot on the criminal’s heels in a high-speed car chase.
  8. Jean got hot under the collar when the student cheated on the exam. She was so mad!
  9. What a heat wave! It’s so hot that I don’t want to leave the house.
  10. She has the hots for Justin Timberlake, and I understand why. He’s very good-looking.

Answer key:

  1. Hot spot – a very popular place
  2. Hotheaded – easy to anger
  3. To be full of hot air – saying things that aren’t worth believing
  4. Hot-button issue – an issue that causes strong disagreement
  5. Hot topic – a subject that’s very important or popular at the moment
  6. Hotshot – someone who is successful and arrogant
  7. To be hot on someone’s heels – to be following someone closely
  8. Hot under the collar – angry
  9. Heat wave – a period of unusually hot weather
  10. To have the hots for someone – to be sexually attracted to someone

Can’t get enough idioms? Check out more of our favorites here!