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Discussion Groups / English Usage / March 2010McCarthy: hot engine
Hello: "hot engine" does this mean "an engine in demand on the market?" --- [The police want to sell several actions involved in crimes] He wanted to know what you were goin to do with the vehicles. Yeah. I've got to try and sell them things at auction. More county money down the toilet. One of em has got a hot engine in it. We might be able to get a few dollars for that. Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men, p. 168 --- -- Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > > "hot engine" > does this mean > "an engine in demand on the market?" I'd read 'souped-up' modified and tuned for high performance. >> Hello: >> >> "hot engine" >> does this mean >> "an engine in demand on the market?" > I'd read 'souped-up' modified and tuned for high performance. In the context given, I think it means stolen.  Signature'I'm not a thief, madam. But if I were, I would be the kind that steals fire from the gods.' 'We've already got fire.' 'There must be an upgrade by now.' --Hogfather >>> Hello: >>> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > In the context given, I think it means stolen. I can't imagine why that would stand out from the others, or how the engine was stolen without the rest of the car. I probably could dream up such a scenario, but it'd be so convoluted that I'm fairly sure Derek's suggestion is much more likely. --Jeff SignatureLove consists of overestimating the differences between one woman and another. --George Bernard Shaw >>>> Hello: >>>> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >> >> In the context given, I think it means stolen. > I can't imagine why that would stand out from the others, or how > the engine was stolen without the rest of the car. I probably Oh, well cars are often stolen and then taken to a chop shop where the parts are sold off; it is quite possible to have a stolen engine in a non-stolen car. However, I misread the original quote and thought the police where saying they would NOT be able to sell it because of the hot engine. > could dream up such a scenario, but it'd be so convoluted that > I'm fairly sure Derek's suggestion is much more likely. Agreed. SignatureTHERE WAS NO ROMAN GOD NAMED \"FARTICUS\" Bart chalkboard Ep. 5F06 > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men, p. 168 This is ambiguous because of two items of standard slang 1: hot = desirable (as in hot fashions, hot girl, hot car, hot wheels), 2: hot = stolen (as in hot iPod, hot tom, hot car, and so on.) The context suggests #1. SignatureDon Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) > > "hot engine" > > does this mean [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > 2: hot = stolen (as in hot iPod, hot tom, hot car, and so on.) > The context suggests #1. Indeed. Thank you both. Marius Hancu >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >2: hot = stolen (as in hot iPod, hot tom, hot car, and so on.) >The context suggests #1. It seems unlikely that the police would be selling a car that had a stolen engine in it. I think I'd add definition 1b: hot = high performance, "souped-up". http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=soup*2+0&dict=A The car with a hot engine in it possibly has an engine that is either a higher performance engine than that fitted as standard or has a standard engine that has been modified to increase its power. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) > Hello: > > "hot engine" > does this mean > "an engine in demand on the market?" Usually, "hot car" or "hot engine" refers to a high-performance, high-power machine. Sometimes "hot" means "great looking", but since this is the engine, then it is a high-performance one. "In demand on the market"...yes, but because of its performance. > --- > [The police want to sell several actions involved in crimes] [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Thanks. > Marius Hancu |
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