hot water

noun

, Informal.

1. trouble; a predicament:

   His skipping classes will get him into real hot water when exam time comes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hot water¹

First recorded in 1530–40

Idioms and Phrases

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 .

Example Sentences

A post-mortem examination found Sara had suffered injuries including "probable human bite marks", an iron burn and scalding from hot water before she died on 8 August 2023.

From BBC

A post-mortem examination found Sara had suffered dozens of injuries including "probable human bite marks", an iron burn and scalding from hot water before she died on 8 August 2023.

From BBC

Gibson remains a controversial Hollywood figure as the once sought-after actor has been in hot water for years because of his infamous DUI arrest, where he spewed an antisemitic rant.

From Salon

But his willingness to absorb contrarian perspectives has also landed him in hot water.

From BBC

Earlier this year, the hot water stopped working and residents began heating water on the stove to bathe.

From Los Angeles Times