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

An Orange County woman is in hot water after embezzling millions from an instant ramen company she worked for, federal prosecutors said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Kimmel landed in hot water after his 15 September monologue on conservative firebrand Kirk's death.

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One by one the participants approach a gigantic samovar, select a tea cup and fill it with hot water.

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The football players, for one, didn’t have hot water for their showers.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"As we head into the colder months, we know that these savings coupled with the constant heat and instant hot water that natural gas provides, will be welcomed by Ten Towns customers."

Read more on BBC