Click below to listen to the phrase.
Choose the correct definition a, b or c.
a) angry
Well done! That’s the right answer.
If someone is hot under the collar, it means he/she is very angry. It expresses the heat that often comes with this kind of aggression. When one is angry their face and neck become hot and sweaty.
Be careful with this expression as it can sometimes also be used to describe someone being seduced by something or someone!
French translation
prendre la mouche, se mettre en rogne
How NOT to translate : *avoir chaud sous le col
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Examples in context
‘Don’t get hot under the collar
A new study proves that the angriest people are more likely to die sooner
The next time that a cold caller or traffic jam gets your blood boiling, take a deep breath and try to relax. For getting angry can shorten your life, according to a study.
Using more than three decades of population data, researchers found that men who had admitted they had a short fuse when questioned around the age of 35 were more likely to be dead 35 years later than those who were less quick to anger.’
The Times of India, 13 October 2015
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‘No one knows how the money flows
It’s magic money and it comes and goes, like our commitment to fixing global warming
As the year went on, it began to dawn on our leaders that money was flowing into their coffers at an unanticipated rate. Mostly corporation tax.
By November, total tax receipts were €2.9bn beyond expectations. Instead of €39bn, Revenue had taken in €41.9bn. That 7pc jump is pretty startling.
For a certain kind of politician, everything comes down to the votes, the seats, the badges of office. No need to get hot under the collar about global warming. Deliver a stirring speech for the "other world leaders", then have a quiet word with local media, to shore up the farming vote. The message is, don’t mind me, sure, I’m only spoofing.’
The Irish Independent, 12 December 2015
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Everyday usage
John’s mismanagement had caused Samantha to become very hot under the collar.
We could tell that she was a bit hot under the collar when we revealed to her our losses for the last fiscal year.
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