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

Early one morning I was passing out hot water, when a man showed me a bucket of blood from his slashed wrists and asked for help.

From The Daily Beast

Sanders stepped in legal hot water, however, when the company auctioned off the original coffin of Lee Harvey Oswald in late 2010.

From The Daily Beast

Basically, pre-marital sex is a big no-no and could land Justin Brent in hot water.

From The Daily Beast

Wilson later landed in hot water with some by pushing for the creation of the first Barbie for President doll.

From The Daily Beast

In fact, I have made jokes/comments on television and on Twitter that have landed me in hot water.

From The Daily Beast

If not obtained at first, let the slide stand in a warm place, as upon a hot-water radiator, for an hour.

From Project Gutenberg

One evening at tea, a copper kettle, with hot water, stood on the hob.

From Project Gutenberg

Vegetable caseine is best obtained by treating peas or beans with hot water, and straining the fluid.

From Project Gutenberg

The water sides of the condenser covered with this hot water was 50 surface feet.

From Project Gutenberg

And she stood, holding the Colonel with her eyes, until he began to feel cold again, and to think of his hot-water bag.

From Project Gutenberg