| This one has puzzled me for a while. I originally heard the term "hot and bothered" from a USian in a context that seemed to imply it was somewhat synonymous with sexual arousal. Another USian of my acquaintance, very word-wise, insisted it merely meant "upset or angry". In one of the Harry Potter books (whose author, J. K. Rowling, is from the UK), Hagrid says something to the effect, "What's the matter there, Harry? Yer lookin' all hot and bothered." I **highly** doubt she meant it in the "aroused" sense! So, can anyone tell me more definitively whether there is a clear distinction between two senses of this phrase, and whether the sense of it depends on your locale? |
