[horse around]{v.}, {slang} To join in rough teasing; play around.•/They were a hunch of sailors on shore leave, horsing around where therewere girls and drinks./ •/John horsed around with the dog for a while whenhe came in from school./

[horse of a different color] or [horse of another color] {n. phr.},{informal} Something altogether separate and different. •/Anyone can bebroke, but to steal is a horse of a different color./ •/Do you mean thatthe boy with that pretty girl is her brother? I thought he was her boyfriend.Well, that’s a horse of another color./

[horse opera]{n. phr.} A Western movie in which cowboys and horsesplay a major part. •/John Wayne played in many horse operas./

[horseplay]{n.} Rough, practical joking. •/The newlyweds couldn’tget a wink of sleep all night because there was a lot of yelling and screamingoutside of their window — the usual horseplay./

[horse sense]{n.}, {informal} A good understanding about what todo in life; good judgment; wisdom in making decisions. •/Bill had never beento college, but he had plenty of horse sense./ •/Some people are welleducated and read many books, but still do not have much horse sense./

[horse trade]{n.} 1. The sale of a horse or the exchange of twohorses. •/It was a horse trade in which the owner of the worse animal gave arifle to make the trade equal./ 2. {informal} A business agreement orbargain arrived at after hard and skillful discussion. •/Party leaders wentaround for months making horse trades to get support for their candidate./•/The horse trade finally called for a new car for the radio station inexchange for several weeks of advertising for the car dealer./

[hot] See: BLOW HOT AND COLD, MAKE IT HOT.

[hot air]{n.}, {informal} Nonsense, exaggerated talk, wasted wordscharacterized by emotion rather than intellectual content. •/That was just alot of hot air what Joe said./

[hot and bothered]{adj.}, {informal} Excited and worried,displeased, or puzzled. — A hackneyed phrase. •/Fritz got all hot andbothered when he failed in the test./ •/Leona was all hot and bothered whenher escort was late in coming for her./ •/Jerry was hot and bothered abouthis invention when he couldn’t get it to work./ •/It is a small matter;don’t get so hot and bothered./

[hot and heavy]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Strongly; vigorously;emphatically. •/Fred got it hot and heavy when his wife found out how much hehad lost at cards./ •/The partners had a hot and heavy argument beforedeciding to enlarge their store./

[hot dog]{n. phr.}, {informal} A frankfurter or wiener in a roll.•/The boys stopped on the way home for hot dogs and coffee./

[hot dog]{interj.}, {informal} Hurrah! — A cry used to showpleasure or enthusiasm. •/"Hot dog!" Frank exclaimed when he unwrapped abirthday gift of a small record player./

[hot dog roast] See: WIENER ROAST.

[hot number]{n.}, {slang} A person or thing noticed as newer,better, or more popular than others. •/The boys and girls thought that songwas a hot number./ •/The new car that Bob is driving is a real hotnumber./ •/John invented a new can opener that was a hot number in thestores./

[hot off the press]{adj. phr.} Just appeared in print. •/This is thelatest edition of the Chicago Tribune; it’s hot off the press./

[hot one]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} Something out of theordinary; something exceptional, such as a joke, a person whether in terms oflooks or intelligence. •/Joe’s joke sure was a hot one./ •/Sue is a hotone, isn’t she?/

[hot potato]{n.}, {informal} A question that causes strongargument and is difficult to settle. •/Many school boards found segregation ahot potato in the 1960s./

[hot rod]{n.}, {informal} An older automobile changed so that itcan gain speed quickly and go very fast. •/Hot rods are used by young peopleespecially in drag racing./

[hot seat]{n.}, {slang} 1. The electric chair used to cause deathby electrocution in legal executions. •/Many a man has controlled a murderousrage when he thought of the hot seat./ 2. {informal} A position in whichyou can easily get into trouble. •/A judge in a beauty contest is on the hotseat. If he chooses one girl, the other girls will be angry with him./

[hot stuff]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon}Coffee. •/Let’s stop and get some hot stuff./

[hot under the collar]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Angry. •/Mary getshot under the collar if you joke about women drivers./ •/Tom got hot underthe collar when his teacher punished him./

[hot water]{n.}{informal} Trouble. — Used with "in", "into","out", "of". •/John’s thoughtless remark about religion got John into a lotof hot water./ •/It was the kind of trouble where it takes a friend to getyou out of hot water./

[hound] See: ROCK HOUND, RUN WITH THE HARE AND HUNT (RIDE) WFTH THE HOUNDS.

[hour] See: AFTER HOURS, ALL HOURS, COFFEE HOUR, ON THE HOUR, ZERO HOUR.

[house] See: BOARDING HOUSE REACH, BRING DOWN THE HOUSE, PUN HOUSE, HASHHOUSE, KEEP HOUSE, ON THE HOUSE, PARISH HOUSE, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSESSHOULD NOT THROW STONES, PLAGUE ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES or PLAGUE O' BOTH YOURHOUSES, PUT ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER or SET ONE’S HOUSE TN ORDER.

[housebroken]{adj.} Trained to go outside to relieve themselves (saidof domestic pets, primarily dogs). •/All young puppies must eventually behousebroken./

[house detective]{n.} A detective employed by a hotel, store, or otherbusiness to watch for any trouble. •/The one-armed man sweeping the bankfloor was really the house detective./

[house of cards]{n. phr.} Something badly put together and easilyknocked down; a poorly founded plan, hope, or action. •/John’s business fellapart like a house of cards./

[house of ill fame] or [of ill repute] {n. phr.} A bordello; abrothel. •/At the edge of town there is a house of ill repute run by a Madamewho used to be a singer in a bar./

[housetop] See: SHOUT FROM THE HOUSETOPS or SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOPS.

[hover over]{v. phr.} 1. To remain close or above. •/The rescuehelicopter was carefully hovering above the stranded rock climbers./ 2. Towatch over; supervise. •/"Mother!" Phillip cried, "if you don’t stop hoveringover me, I’ll go bananas!"/

[how] See: AND HOW!

[how about] or [what about] {interrog.} — Used to ask for adecision, action, opinion, or explanation. 1. Will you have or agree on?•/How about another piece of pie?/ •/What about a game of tennis?/•/How about going to the dance with me Saturday?/ 2. Will you lend or giveme? •/How about five dollars until Friday?/ •/What about a little helpwith these dishes?/ 3. What is to be done about? •/What about the windows?Shall we close them before we go?/ 4. How do you feel about? What do youthink about? What is to be thought or said? •/What about women inpolitics?/ •/How about this button on the front of the typewriter?/

[how about that] or [what about that] {informal} An expression ofsurprise, congratulation, or praise. •/When Jack heard of his brother’spromotion, he exclaimed, "How about that!"/ •/Bill won the scholarship!What about that!/