hot line — A direct telephone line set up for a specific purpose, especially for communication between heads of government in a crisis
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A direct telephone line set up for a specific purpose, especially for communication between heads of government in a crisis
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈhɑːt laɪn/
Example Sentences
- The pizza company's hot line was so busy that even the CEO had to answer calls during lunch rush.
- The diplomatic hot line between the two countries helped prevent a major conflict.
- My mom thinks she has a hot line to my brain when she calls exactly when I'm about to do something wrong.
hot line
NOUN[/ˈhɑːt laɪn/]
A direct telephone line set up for a specific purpose, especially for communication between heads of government in a crisis
The president grabs the red hot line phone the moment the crisis alert sounds.
I caught mine - follow my thought line to the hot line!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The term emerged during the Cold War era in the 1960s to describe a direct communication line between the United States and the Soviet Union. 'Hot' conveys urgency and immediacy of communication, while 'line' refers to the telephone connection itself.
Breakdown
hot (urgent, immediate) + line (telephone connection). The metaphorical use of 'hot' transfers the sense of heat and intensity to convey critical, time-sensitive communication channels.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The pizza company's hot line was so busy that even the CEO had to answer calls during lunch rush.”
“The diplomatic hot line between the two countries helped prevent a major conflict.”
“My mom thinks she has a hot line to my brain when she calls exactly when I'm about to do something wrong.”
“The customer service hot line operates 24 hours a day to handle complaints.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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