hotseat
hotseat Lexical Profile
hotseat Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A position of high pressure, intense scrutiny, or difficult responsibility, where one's actions and decisions are closely questioned.
"The chief executive found herself in the hotseat during the congressional hearing."
A turn-based multiplayer video game mode in which two or more players take turns playing on the same computer or console, literally or figuratively swapping seats.
"We spent the whole afternoon playing a strategy game in hotseat mode on a single laptop."
American The electric chair used for capital punishment (slang).
"In classic crime novels, detectives often warned suspects that a murder conviction would send them to the hotseat."
• verb
To subject someone to intense questioning, pressure, or criticism, especially in a group setting or drama exercise.
"The drama teacher had the students hotseat the main character to explore his hidden motivations."
Word Nuance & Usage
Usually written as two words ("hot seat") when referring to a high-pressure position or the electric chair, whereas the single-word closed compound "hotseat" is standard in video gaming and computing.
Word Origin & Etymology
Originated in the early 20th century as American slang for the electric chair, before broadening by the 1930s to describe any uncomfortable position of intense scrutiny or responsibility.