Hot Potato for Dummies
noun
pronunciation: hɑt_pə'teɪtoʊWhat does Hot Potato really mean?
Hot potato is a phrase that we use when we want to describe a situation that somebody doesn't want to be involved in or doesn't want to deal with. It's like when you're playing a game and you have a boiling hot potato that you don't want to hold for too long because it's uncomfortable. You quickly pass it to someone else so they have to deal with it instead.
Imagine that you are playing a game with your friends where you have to toss a real potato around. The potato is hot and uncomfortable to hold, so you don't want to be the one left holding it for too long. You want to pass it along to someone else as quickly as possible. In life, we use the phrase "hot potato" to describe situations or problems that are difficult or uncomfortable. It's something that people try to avoid or pass on to someone else because they don't want to deal with it themselves.
For example, let's say your friend has a secret, and they don't want anyone to know about it. But somehow, you found out that secret. Your friend might feel worried and uncomfortable, like they are holding a hot potato. They might pass that "hot potato" to you by telling you the secret, hoping that you will keep it and not tell anyone else. They want to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling and give it to someone else to deal with.
Similarly, in a group project at school, there may be a task that nobody wants to do because it's difficult or time-consuming. It's like a hot potato that nobody wants to hold onto for too long. People might try to pass that task to someone else in the group, hoping that they will take it on and not leave them with the uncomfortable and challenging work.
So, in short, "hot potato" means a situation or problem that someone tries to avoid or pass on to someone else because they don't want to deal with it themselves. It's like a game where you quickly pass a hot and uncomfortable potato to someone else, hoping to get rid of it. It's a way of describing how people try to avoid or pass on difficult or uncomfortable things to others.
Imagine that you are playing a game with your friends where you have to toss a real potato around. The potato is hot and uncomfortable to hold, so you don't want to be the one left holding it for too long. You want to pass it along to someone else as quickly as possible. In life, we use the phrase "hot potato" to describe situations or problems that are difficult or uncomfortable. It's something that people try to avoid or pass on to someone else because they don't want to deal with it themselves.
For example, let's say your friend has a secret, and they don't want anyone to know about it. But somehow, you found out that secret. Your friend might feel worried and uncomfortable, like they are holding a hot potato. They might pass that "hot potato" to you by telling you the secret, hoping that you will keep it and not tell anyone else. They want to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling and give it to someone else to deal with.
Similarly, in a group project at school, there may be a task that nobody wants to do because it's difficult or time-consuming. It's like a hot potato that nobody wants to hold onto for too long. People might try to pass that task to someone else in the group, hoping that they will take it on and not leave them with the uncomfortable and challenging work.
So, in short, "hot potato" means a situation or problem that someone tries to avoid or pass on to someone else because they don't want to deal with it themselves. It's like a game where you quickly pass a hot and uncomfortable potato to someone else, hoping to get rid of it. It's a way of describing how people try to avoid or pass on difficult or uncomfortable things to others.
Revised and Fact checked by Liam Lewis on 2023-10-29 10:21:05
Hot Potato In a sentece
Learn how to use Hot Potato inside a sentece
- When you touch a boiling pot of water, it feels like holding a hot potato.
- If you leave a baked potato in the oven for too long, it becomes a hot potato.
- Sometimes, when you eat spicy food, your mouth feels like it's holding a hot potato.
- In a game of Hot Potato, the players quickly pass around a small object, like a hot potato, before it cools down.
- When you accidentally touch a hot stove, it feels as if you're grabbing a hot potato.
Hot Potato Hypernyms
Words that are more generic than the original word.