hot line

A telephone line that gives quick and direct access to a source of information or help. For example, Our state has an AIDS hot line in every county. This term was originally (and is still) used for a direct link between heads of government for use during a crisis, but was quickly extended to wider applications. [1950s]

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Caron	-	Welsh
Mica	-	English
Olyvia	ə-LIV-ee-ə	English (Rare)
Yana	-	Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian
&Aelig;Thelred	-	Anglo-Saxon
Cole	[kəul]