hot as Hades
- idiom
- Informal
:
caliente como el infierno
- During the summer, the city becomes hot as Hades, making outdoor activities challenging.
Examples
-
But, while it is pretty to look at, it is hot as Hades, so we were glad to be leaving.
Blog text (28) -
The sun was beating down, and it felt hot as Hades at the beach.
-
The spicy curry was hot as Hades, leaving everyone reaching for water.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Having a high temperature and able to burn your skin
141
1.0
Food that has a very hot taste and makes your mouth burn
44
3.6
Very hot and like burning flames
11
4.1
Too hot or intense in a way that causes danger and discomfort
9
7.5
Very hot in a way that feels uncomfortable
6
4.1
So warm it glows red
3
3.4
Very hot and making a hissing sound
2
7.7
Very hot and dry, often uncomfortable for people
1
9.9
Being very active and popular right now
1
3.4
Feels very hot, like you are inside an oven
Very hot so you want to find shade and drink water
A very hot burning pain that hurts a lot
Very hot and making a sharp steam sound, like food from the oven or a pan
Extremely hot, like the inside of an oven
Extremely hot, with a temperature much higher than normal
Used before an adjective to show a very strong feeling
Antonyms
How Hot
Surface Forms
Morphology
The simile structure ('hot' + 'as' + a proper noun) signals a comparative exaggeration: a learner who knows 'as' marks comparison and 'Hades' as the mythological underworld can infer an extreme degree of heat. However, the link depends on cultural/mythological knowledge (underworld = extreme heat) and is somewhat idiomatic, so the exact meaning is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
Hot as Hades comes from old Greek stories about Hades, the world below that people imagined as very hot and full of fire. That picture is why saying something is hot as Hades means 'extremely hot' today.