a country or region where dangerous or difficult political situations exist or may erupt, esp. where a war, revolution, or a belligerent attitude toward other countries exists or may develop

In the 1960s, Vietnam became a hot spot.

Informal . any area or place of known danger, intrigue, dissension, or instability.

Informal . a nightclub.

Photography . an area of a negative or print revealing excessive light on that part of the subject.

a section of forest or woods where fires frequently occur.

an area hotter than the surrounding surface, as on the shell of a furnace.

Physics . an area of abnormally high radioactivity.

Geology . a region of molten rock below and within the lithosphere that persists long enough to leave a record of uplift and volcanic activity at the earth's surface. Compare plume ( def. 10 ) .

Genetics . a chromosome site or a section of DNA having a high frequency of mutation or recombination.

Veterinary Pathology . a moist, raw sore on the skin of a dog or cat caused by constant licking of an irritation from an allergic reaction, tangled coat, fleas, etc.

noun

box , corner , deep water , difficulty , dilemma , dutch , fix , hole , hot water , jam , plight , quagmire , scrape , soup , trouble