hot seat

noun hot seats · hotseat

1. The real or figurative seat occupied by a game show contestant at a stage where they are answering questions alone.
2. broadly, figuratively Any stressful situation; a situation in which one is the center of attention or vulnerable to attack or criticism; a position of unease or embarrassment. Now just a minute. You turn up out of nowhere, a routine space shot goes wrong, a new planet appears and you tell us you know all about it. That puts you slap bang in the hot seat, right?

   Similar: predicament, spotlight

3. broadly, slang The electric chair. Looks like you for the hot seat, kid. Come along, both of you.
4. attributive, broadly A multiplayer game mode in which players take turns playing the game. In addition to traditional LAN play and online modes, there's […] a hot seat mode in which multiple players take their turns on the same computer […].