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heat

[ heet ]

/ hit /

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See synonyms for: heat / heated / heating on Thesaurus.com

noun

the state of a body perceived as having or generating a relatively high degree of warmth.

the condition or quality of being hot: the heat of an oven.

the degree of hotness; temperature: moderate heat.

the sensation of warmth or hotness: unpleasant heat.

a bodily temperature higher than normal: the heat of a fever; the feeling of heat caused by physical exertion.

added or external energy that causes a rise in temperature, expansion, evaporation, or other physical change.

Physics. a nonmechanical energy transfer with reference to a temperature difference between a system and its surroundings or between two parts of the same system. Symbol: Q

a hot condition of the atmosphere or physical environment; hot season or weather.

a period of hot weather.

a sharp, pungent flavor, as that produced by strong spices.

warmth or intensity of feeling; vehemence; passion: He spoke with much heat and at great length.

maximum intensity in an activity, condition, etc.; the height of any action, situation, or the like: the heat of battle; the heat of passion.

extreme pressure, as of events, resulting in tension or strain: In the heat of his hasty departure he forgot his keys.

a single intense effort; a sustained, concentrated, and continuous operation: The painting was finished at a heat.

Slang. intensified pressure, especially in a police investigation.

Slang. the police.

Slang. armed protection, especially a pistol, revolver, or other firearm: All guards carry some heat.

Sports.

a single course in or division of a race or other contest.
a race or other contest in which competitors attempt to qualify for entry in the final race or contest.

Metallurgy.

a single operation of heating, as of metal in a furnace, in the treating and melting of metals.
a quantity of metal produced by such an operation.

Zoology.

sexual receptiveness in animals, especially females.
the period or duration of such receptiveness: to be in heat.

verb (used with object)

to make hot or warm (often followed by up).

to excite emotionally; inflame or rouse with passion.

verb (used without object)

to become hot or warm (often followed by up).

to become excited emotionally.

Verb Phrases

heat up, to increase or become more active or intense: Business competition will heat up toward the end of the year.

OTHER WORDS FOR heat

2 hotness, warmth.

11 ardor, fervor, zeal, flush, fever, excitement, impetuosity.

22 stimulate, warm, stir, animate.

See synonyms for heat on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR heat

11 indifference.

21 cool.

See antonyms for heat on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of heat

before 900; Middle English hete,Old English hǣtu; akin to German Hitze;see hot

OTHER WORDS FROM heat

heat·a·ble, adjectiveheatful, adjectiveheatless, adjectiveheatlike, adjective

re·heat, verbre·heat·a·ble, adjectiveself-heating, adjectiveun·der·heat, verb (used with object)un·heat·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby heat

heart-whole, heartwood, heartworm, heart-wrenching, hearty, heat, heat barrier, heat capacity, heat content, heat cramp, heat cramps

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use heat in a sentence

A Quinnipiac poll released on Wednesday put the competitors in a dead heat with each receiving 48 percent support.
Jaime Harrison Says He Feels ‘A Little Sad’ For Lindsey Graham|Hope Wright|September 17, 2020|Essence.com
If we squander this moment of energy wealth, creating heat waste instead of structure, we will all be back in the junkyard soon enough.
Dawn of the Heliocene - Issue 90: Something Green|Summer Praetorius|September 16, 2020|Nautilus
As we pack electronics into ever smaller packages, dealing with the heat they produce is becoming a growing challenge.
This Microchip Has Its Own Built-In Cooling System|Edd Gent|September 14, 2020|Singularity Hub
The summer was capped with a punishing heat wave that settled across the region in August and September and drove temperatures well into triple digits.
“Unprecedented”: What’s behind the California, Oregon, and Washington wildfires|Umair Irfan|September 11, 2020|Vox

It’s made of high-quality aluminum, guaranteeing optimal heat distribution, plus it’s also freezer-safe.
The best stockpots for your kitchen|PopSci Commerce Team|September 9, 2020|Popular-Science
But while he was up there riffing about Steiger, he looked like he did in the Big Heat.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The movie we went to that Friday night in 1953 was The Big Heat.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, high-sided cast iron skillet.
Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole|Carla Hall|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While the beans are cooling and drying, melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat.
Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole|Carla Hall|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Remove from heat and stir in the walnuts, rum, powdered sugar, and salt until fully incorporated.
Carla Hall’s Christmas Day Treat: Rum Balls|Carla Hall|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The heat of drunkenness is the stumblingblock of the fool, lessening strength and causing wounds.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
It was very warm, and for a while they did nothing but exchange remarks about the heat, the sun, the glare.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Tobacco is a strong growing plant resisting heat and drought to a far (p. 018) greater extent than most plants.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
A present remedy of all is the speedy coming of a cloud, and a dew that meeteth it, by the heat that cometh, shall overpower it.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
Captain Vane came from the observatory, his face blazing with excitement and oily with heat, to announce the fact.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for heat

heat

/ (hiːt) /

noun

the energy transferred as a result of a difference in temperature
the random kinetic energy of the atoms, molecules, or ions in a substance or body

Related adjectives: thermal, calorific

the sensation caused in the body by heat energy; warmth

the state or quality of being hot

hot weatherthe heat of summer

intensity of feeling; passionthe heat of rage

pressurethe political heat on the government over the economy

the most intense or active partthe heat of the battle

a period or condition of sexual excitement in female mammals that occurs at oestrus

sport

a preliminary eliminating contest in a competition
a single section of a contest

slang police activity after a crimethe heat is off

mainly US slang criticism or abusehe took a lot of heat for that mistake

in the heat of the moment without pausing to think

on heat or in heat

Also: in season (of some female mammals) sexually receptive
in a state of sexual excitement

the heat slang the police

turn up the heat or turn on the heat informal to increase the intensity of activity, coercion, etc

verb

to make or become hot or warm

to make or become excited or intense

Derived forms of heat

heatless, adjective

Word Origin for heat

Old English hǣtu; related to hāt hot, Old Frisian hēte heat, Old High German heizī

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for heat

heat

[ hēt ]

n.

A form of energy associated with the motion of atoms or molecules and capable of being transmitted through solid and fluid media by conduction, through fluid media by convection, and through empty space by radiation.

The sensation or perception of such energy as warmth or hotness.

An abnormally high bodily temperature, as from a fever.

Estrus.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for heat

heat

[ hēt ]

Internal energy that is transferred to a physical system from outside the system because of a difference in temperature and does not result in work done by the system on its surroundings. Absorption of energy by a system as heat takes the form of increased kinetic energy of its molecules, thus resulting in an increase in temperature of the system. Heat is transferred from one system to another in the direction of higher to lower temperature. See also thermodynamics. See Note at temperature.

See estrus.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for heat

heat

In physics, a form of energy associated with the movement of atoms and molecules in any material. The higher the temperature of a material, the faster the atoms are moving, and hence the greater the amount of energy present as heat. (See infrared radiation.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with heat

heat

In addition to the idioms beginning with heat

heat up

also see:

dead heat
in heat
in the heat of the moment
turn up the heat

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.