hot air

noun

, Informal.

1. empty, exaggerated, or pretentious talk or writing:

   His report on the company's progress was just so much hot air.

hot air

noun

1. informal.
   empty and usually boastful talk

Word History and Origins

Origin of hot air¹

1835–45 for literal sense

Idioms and Phrases

Empty, exaggerated talk, as in That last speech of his was pure hot air . It is also put as full of hot air , as in Pay no attention to Howard—he's full of hot air . This metaphoric term transfers heated air to vaporous talk. [Late 1800s]

Example Sentences

And to let you comprehend whether you are heir to that civilization or spouting hot air about it.

From The Daily Beast

He would ride across the District of Columbia on his black horse, Dan Webster, or survey the countryside from a hot-air balloon.

From The Daily Beast

A ride in a ski lift crafted to look like a flying hot-air balloon even brought visitors to the vantage point of a flying monkey.

From The Daily Beast

Fleks of cotton rose in the hot air and made little blazes here and there.

From The Daily Beast

An occasional tour bus or motorbike roars through, and, at dusk, hot air balloons drift lazily overhead.

From The Daily Beast

Through these flues were forced currents of hot air from a blaze in a large fireplace at one end of the house.

From Project Gutenberg

The chimney was at the other end, and thus a draught of hot air constantly passed beneath the floors in cold weather.

From Project Gutenberg

The hot air passed as indicated by the arrows, escaping through openings near the roof in the outside wall of the apodytrium.

From Project Gutenberg

She felt dimly the difference between the hot air of the dance-hall and the warm air out of doors.

From Project Gutenberg

The roof, of thin iron plate, is provided with a ventilator to allow of the escape of hot air.

From Project Gutenberg