three hots and a cot
A patient presenting mainly for food and a bed
Definitions
Slang for someone attending hospital chiefly to secure meals ('three hots') and a bed ('a cot') rather than for genuine illness. Abbreviated THC.
three hots and a cot In A Sentence
Origin & Usage
US slang (also used of jail); adopted in EDs.
People Also Ask
What does 'three hots and a cot' mean?
It refers to three hot meals and a bed to sleep in. In hospitals it describes someone presenting mainly to secure food and shelter rather than for genuine illness.
Where does the phrase come from?
It is older US slang, often used of jail or the military, that was adopted in emergency departments to describe such presentations.
What does THC stand for here?
In this context THC is the abbreviation of 'three hots and a cot,' not the cannabis compound.
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