In the hot seat
In an uncomfortable or embarrassing situation, usually by being subjected to severe criticism: “When the settlement talks broke down, he was in the hot seat with both management and labor.” The phrase is an extension of “hot seat,” slang for the electric chair.
Related Terms
on the hot seat
adverb phrase
In an uncomfortable situation; in a jam: You’re on the hot seat every day in that job (1960s+)
see: hot seat
Read Also:
- In the hope
see under in hopes of
- In the interim
In the meantime, as in Arthur’s in Israel, so in the interim Judy will handle their business. [ Second half of 1500s ]
- In the lap of luxury
see: lap of luxury
- In the life
adjective phrase Occupied or engaged in some specialized and usually socially despised way of living, such as the homosexual subculture or prostitution: By the time strippers are ”in the life” they have developed an exploitative attitude to men and people in general (1970s+)
- In the least
Also, in the slightest. At all, in the smallest degree. These terms are nearly always used in a negative context. For example, I don’t care in the least what you do with the money, or It doesn’t matter in the slightest whether or not you attend. [ c. 1600 ] They may also be put […]