hotter than a two-dollar pistol
Burning hot, mad as fire, or wound up past reason.
Also called hot as a two-dollar pistol, hotter'n a two-dollar pistol.
Updated September 24, 2026
hotter than a two-dollar pistol pronunciation
/HOT-er thuhn uh TOO-doller PISS-tuhl/
Meaning
A Southern simile that stretches hot every which way. Weather can be hotter than a two-dollar pistol. So can a temper, a rumor, or somebody lit up with excitement. The picture is a cheap pistol that heated up fast when you fired it. In redneck talk it's porch exaggeration with a grin, not a thermometer reading.
How folks use it
- “It's hotter than a two-dollar pistol out by the mailbox.”
- “Daddy was hotter than a two-dollar pistol when they dented the truck.”
Origin and etymology
American folk saying tied to cheap 1800s pistols with thin barrels that got blistering hot after a few shots. Exact first print date is murky. The phrase stuck in Southern and rural talk for heat, anger, and anything running hot.
Frequently asked questions
Does it only mean the weather?
No. Folks use it for heat, a mad spell, or somebody charged up. Context tells you which kind of hot.