piping hot

Meaning

This expression is used to describe food or drink that is extremely hot, often fresh out of the oven or off the stove. It carries a positive connotation, suggesting that the meal is fresh, delicious, and ready to be enjoyed immediately.

Examples

• Be careful with the soup; it's piping hot.

  Be careful with the soup; it's piping hot.

• There is nothing better than a cup of piping hot coffee on a freezing winter morning.

  There is nothing better than a cup of piping hot coffee on a freezing winter morning.

• The baker pulled a tray of piping hot croissants out of the oven.

  The baker pulled a tray of piping hot croissants out of the oven.

• She served the apple pie piping hot with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.

  She served the apple pie piping hot with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.

• I prefer my tea piping hot, not lukewarm.

  I prefer my tea piping hot, not lukewarm.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The pizza was pipe hot when it arrived.

  ✓ The pizza was piping hot when it arrived.

  The idiom is always 'piping hot' with the '-ing' ending; 'pipe hot' is incorrect.

• ✗ I love drinking piping hot water.

  ✓ I love drinking hot water.

  'Piping hot' is typically reserved for freshly prepared beverages like tea, coffee, or soups, rather than plain drinking water.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The waiter brought out a plate of ___ garlic bread.

  💡 Extremely hot and freshly cooked.

  Show answer

  piping hot

• Make sure to drink your tea while it's still ___.

  💡 Very hot, fresh from the kettle.

  Show answer

  piping hot