hot one n.
1. a violent blow.
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bell’s Life in Victoria (Melbourne) 16 May 4/4: Bill [...] tried to put in a hot-un on the nob with the right. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Paved with Gold 184: If Ned gets one of jack’s ‘hot ’uns’ he must say good-by to day-light. | |
 | Sporting Life (London) 17 Oct. 3/4: Gillam for his trouble got a ‘hot ’un’ on the left peeper. | |
| Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 103/1: Now, talk notties t’ wat I’m sayin’ or sum on ye ’ll git a hot-un! | |
| Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack 190: When Jacob was in peril of the big fellow’s mutton-fist dropping him a hot ’un. | |
| Bulletin (Sydney) 11 Apr. 17/4: Once up and facing his opponent again, the latter dropped him with a very hot one on his ear, and this settled the business. […] Pettengell soon came round after being attended to, and bore scarcely any signs of punishment. | |
| Autobiog. of a Gipsey 76: [footnote] I hits the man a hot-’un in the face. | |
| Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 1 June 3/3: The Never-Never Countryman handed the Jew a hot one on the nose. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | By Bolo and Krag 203: I didn’t do a thing but land the whole crowd a few bunches of hot ones with both arms at the same time. | |
| (con. WWII) Hollywoodland (1981) 20: I have these nightmares [...] That the carrier takes a hot one off the port quarter [...] and we have to jump for it. |
2. in fig. use of sense 1, an emphatic scolding.
| Sportsman 17 Jan. 2/1: Notes on News [...] But what have these poor North British Railway people done to deserve such ‘a hot’un’ from this prophetic advertising Jeremiah. |
3. a promiscuous woman.
| broadside ballad: They call me Happy Eliza, and I’m Converted Jane / We’ve been two hot ’uns in our time. | |
| Truth (Sydney) 30 Mar. 11/5: They’re a pair of real red hot ’uns / [...] / And he do spend of a fortun’ /On them pair of daisy queens. |
4. an unpleasant place or experience.
| ‘Career of a Scapegrace’ in Leicester Chron. 10 May 12/1: Don’t let ’em catch you cadging in this cursed country, or you’ll see the inside of Carnarvon stir, and a hot ’un it is’. |
5. an admirable individual, a good example, usu. with sexual overtones.
| ‘’Arry on the Road’ in Punch 9 Aug. 83/1: Bin at it again. Oh, I ham sech a ’ot ’un all round. | |
| ‘’Arry on Song and Sentiment’ in Punch 14 Nov. 229/1: There, my pal, the ‘Big Bounce, is a hot ’un’. | |
| Truth (Sydney) 8 July 7/1: Pat O’Toole is back from Melbourne. He says Duggan is a hot ’un. | |
| Street in Suburbia 43: She may turn art a reg’lar art an’ art ’ot ’un. | |
| Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (1955) 18: By all accounts, ole Sweater used to be a regler ’ot un. | |
| Gilt Kid 275: Chinky-eyed Len was a hot one. That ought to make the bogys go tearing all over the West End looking for him. | |
| in Ozark Folksongs and Folklore (1992) I 402: Jinny’s a hot one, takes it in the hand, / The cheeks of her ass go Slam! Slam! Slam! | |
| From Here to Eternity (1998) 622: He’s a hot one, the Wop is. Aint he a hot one? | |
| East in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 77: He had a beautiful silky hot one. | |
| Native Tongue 29: I saw a couple of hot ones out by the swimming pool. |
6. (US) something powerful.
| Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 4 Nov. 2/4: ‘I manipulated the sphere and sent hot ones over into the man in the cage’. |
7. a ‘difficult’, socially unrestrained person.
| ‘’Arry’s Visit to the Moon’ in Punch Christmas Number in (2006) 166: You’re a ’ot ’un to give yourself hairs. | |
| Dead Bird (Sydney) 17 Jan. 1/4: For he never ’as met such a ’ot ’un / Before in the earth , sea or air. | |
| De Omnibus 32: Ike is a ’ot un. | |
| Vultures of the City in Illus. Police News 8 Dec. 12/1: ‘I wonders if the old barrow-night has pegged out yet. Don’t like a-dying, these rich blokes don’t. I’ve heard as he’s been a hot ’un in his time; if he slings his hook to-night he’ll go off with fireworks. | |
| Bodies are Dust (2019) [ebook] ‘That’s a hot one! [...] That guy can’t read or write, only sign his name’. | |
| Wide Boys Never Work (1938) 11: He was a hot one all right, this boy. People kept on his right side, or kept away. | |
| Swell-Looking Babe 70: I saw we’d caught a hot one right away. |
8. something shocking, surprising or exciting, or funny.
| Tales of Mean Streets (1983) 93: Just before ’e sent ye down, ye dropped a ’ot ’un on ’is beak. | |
| Barkeep Stories 51: ‘Dat’s a hot one [...] You’ll be de champion o’ de world sure if you kin do dat’. | |
| Philosophy of Johnny the Gent 80: ‘Well, this big flatty [...] can be bulled easier’n a get-rich-quick come-on. The gang had him over in Clancy’s the other night an’ they framed up a hot one for him’. | |
| Valley of the Moon (1914) 119: I’m goin’ to pass them a hot one [i.e. suggestion]. | |
| Blackburn Times 12 Feb. 2/2: ‘Yo meen to say as th’ Tory party’s bin seducted?‘ (Laughing) ‘Well, that’s a hot un!’. | |
| Adventures of a Boomer Op. 38: Say [...] that was a hot one you handed our fat friends about the furniture polish. Ha, Ha. | |
| Girl From Back Home in Hatch & Hamalian Lost Plays of Harlem Renaissance (1996) 99: Milly’s husband [...] looking for me with a gun! Say, that’s a hot one. | |
| Gilt Kid 292: ‘It is clear that the English police, in addition to being the most efficient are the fairest in the world.’ ‘That’s a hot one.’. | |
| Tucker’s People (1944) 64: Well, you got that hot one off your chest, now listen. | |
| Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit 196: One of the characters has unloaded a hot one on the assembled company. | |
| ‘Moonshine’ in Best of Manhunt (2019) [ebook] This was going to be a hot one to tell the boys, all right. | |
| Exit 3 and Other Stories 104: ‘That’s a hot one!’ said Wally, slapping his thigh and bursting out laughing. | |
| Q&A 40: ‘Imagine me runnin’ my mouth off in front of an educated guy like you, Mr. Reilly. That’s a hot one’ . | |
| Indep. on Sun. 30 Jan. 30: Captain! Hot one! Surf’n’Turf, the top easy listening combo featuring any number of television current affairs. |
9. (gambling) a winning tip.
| Checkers 19: The owner himself is going to ‘put me next’ [...] It’ll be a ‘hot one.’ [Ibid.] 140: It must be a ‘hot one’ – I wonder what the odds will be. | |
| Hand-made Fables 88: [He] was carrying on with the Footlight Favourite and exchanging Hot Ones with Jimmy the Sport. | |
| Dark Hazard (1934) 31: If you know any more hot ones, let me know. |
10. something or someone appealing.
| Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 24 Feb. 11/3: Here’s a hot one in the shape of a circular showing how they do things in Rock Springs, Wyo. | |
| Neon Wilderness (1986) 98: That was a hot one, ten bucks and the guy’s own pants thrown in. | |
| et al. CUSS 140: Hot one A sexually attractive person, female. A quick or witty person. |
11. (US und.) a recently stolen automobile.
| San Bernadino Co. Sun (CA) 25 Mar. 41/1: A hot one — car stolen in past 24 hours and reported. |
12. a good idea or plan.
| Gonif 47: We’ve been working on a hot one, Red. |
13. (UK black gang) a murder.
| (con. 1984) Monster (1994) 245: I [...] asked how many hot ones – murders – it [i.e. a gun] had on it. |
14. (US police) a bullet, a gunshot.
| No Lights, No Sirens 174: I was locked and loaded. First one to make any move was getting a hot one. |
15. see also sl. compounds under hot adj.