student asking question

What does he mean by "hot under the collar"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

If one is "hot under the collar," it means that they are angry, embarrassed, or resentful. It refers to the "heat" of anger. It links to how our bodies can get hot due to the stress of anger. Ex: I asked him a simple question, and he got so hot under the collar. = I asked him a simple question, and he got so angry. Ex: I got hot under the collar when I waved back at someone I didn't know. => embarrassed

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