'In The Hot Seat' Is Not Where You Want to Be
2023-06-25
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1And now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
2Have you ever found yourself in a difficult situation - one where you had to explain yourself; where you felt like all eyes are on you; and where others were questioning your actions?
3If so, you may have been in the hot seat!
4That is our expression for today.
5The "hot seat" is not a nice place to be.
6To be in the hot seat can be used in several different situations.
7It can be a situation where you need to defend yourself or share information.
8If you are questioned by the police or a detective, you are definitely in the hot seat.
9A difficult job interview or school exam can also make you feel like you're in the hot seat.
10It can be an unpleasant and uncomfortable situation.
11If you are in the hot seat, someone may be closely observing your movements and actions.
12For example, parents often put their children in the hot seat.
13They may want to know where they go, who they are with, and what they are doing.
14These questions could feel like an interrogation.
15As with the earlier police example, an interrogation and being in the hot seat go hand in hand.
16Teachers and school officials can also put students in the hot seat.
17If students are accused of doing something like cheating on a test or damaging school property, a teacher might put them in the hot seat to get information.
18The "hot seat" can also be a position of uneasiness or embarrassment.
19For this situation, we have another saying.
20If you put someone on the spot, you have also put them in the hot seat.
21For example, let's say my best friend is married to a man who isn't very honest.
22When I see Mr. Dishonest at a restaurant holding hands with another woman, I could put him in the hot seat by asking, "So ... what's going on? here"
23If you are in the hot seat, you may also be faced with severe criticism or judgement.
24At work, you may find yourself in the hot seat if you fail to finish a project on time.
25Here's another example. Let's say Alice is in charge of the company's yearly party.
26It is a big deal for employees and their families.
27But she told everyone the wrong date.
28So, when no one showed up, she found herself in the hot seat with her boss.
29Here are some notes on usage.
30In this idiom, we use the definite article "the" and not the indefinite article "a." So, we don't say someone was "in a hot seat."
31Now, let's talk about the preposition "in."
32Some online dictionaries give examples of this idiom using the preposition "on" - to be on the hot seat.
33I commonly hear in the hot seat and not on the hot seat.
34Both are correct.
35But in the hot seat sounds more natural.
36The usage of this idiom goes back to the early 1900s.
37Some word experts say that it may have come from the use of electric chairs for executions.
38Other experts say the idiom may come from the card game poker.
39In poker, players in the "hot seat" are under the most pressure to bet or play their cards.
40And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ...
41I'm Anna Matteo.
1And now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. 2Have you ever found yourself in a difficult situation - one where you had to explain yourself; where you felt like all eyes are on you; and where others were questioning your actions? 3If so, you may have been in the hot seat! That is our expression for today. 4The "hot seat" is not a nice place to be. To be in the hot seat can be used in several different situations. 5It can be a situation where you need to defend yourself or share information. If you are questioned by the police or a detective, you are definitely in the hot seat. 6A difficult job interview or school exam can also make you feel like you're in the hot seat. It can be an unpleasant and uncomfortable situation. 7If you are in the hot seat, someone may be closely observing your movements and actions. 8For example, parents often put their children in the hot seat. They may want to know where they go, who they are with, and what they are doing. These questions could feel like an interrogation. As with the earlier police example, an interrogation and being in the hot seat go hand in hand. 9Teachers and school officials can also put students in the hot seat. If students are accused of doing something like cheating on a test or damaging school property, a teacher might put them in the hot seat to get information. 10The "hot seat" can also be a position of uneasiness or embarrassment. For this situation, we have another saying. If you put someone on the spot, you have also put them in the hot seat. For example, let's say my best friend is married to a man who isn't very honest. When I see Mr. Dishonest at a restaurant holding hands with another woman, I could put him in the hot seat by asking, "So ... what's going on? here" 11If you are in the hot seat, you may also be faced with severe criticism or judgement. At work, you may find yourself in the hot seat if you fail to finish a project on time. 12Here's another example. Let's say Alice is in charge of the company's yearly party. It is a big deal for employees and their families. But she told everyone the wrong date. So, when no one showed up, she found herself in the hot seat with her boss. 13Notes on usage 14Here are some notes on usage. 15In this idiom, we use the definite article "the" and not the indefinite article "a." So, we don't say someone was "in a hot seat." 16Now, let's talk about the preposition "in." Some online dictionaries give examples of this idiom using the preposition "on" - to be on the hot seat. I commonly hear in the hot seat and not on the hot seat. Both are correct. But in the hot seat sounds more natural. 17The usage of this idiom goes back to the early 1900s. Some word experts say that it may have come from the use of electric chairs for executions. Other experts say the idiom may come from the card game poker. In poker, players in the "hot seat" are under the most pressure to bet or play their cards. 18And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time ... 19I'm Anna Matteo. 20Anna Matteo wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. 21_______________________________________________________________ 22Words in This Story 23interview - n. a formal consultation usually to evaluate qualifications (as of a prospective student or employee) 24interrogation - n. a formal and systematic questioning 25go hand in hand - idiomatic phrase in close association 26cheat - v. to use unfair or dishonest methods to gain an advantage 27embarrassment - n. state of feeling self-consciously confused or distressed 28execution - n. a putting to death especially as a legal penalty 29_______________________________________________________________ 30We want to hear from you. Do you have a similar expression in your language? In the Comments section, you can also practice using any of the expressions from the story. 31We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 32Write your comment in the box. 33Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. 34Click on one image and a box appears. 35Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is the blue circle with "D" on it. It is free. 36Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.