heat up

Idioms and Phrases

Become acute or intense, as in If inflation heats up, the interest rate will surely rise , or The debate over the budget was heating up . [Early 1200s]

Example Sentences

Tensions are rising in Saint Louis, Mo., as race relations heat up.

From The Daily Beast

With people fighting for food, violent outbreaks between Liberians and the army began to heat up at the 10-day mark.

From The Daily Beast

Observers say the row is expected to heat up further in the weeks leading up to local elections on March 30.

From The Daily Beast

Turn the heat up a little and partially cover the pan to give the vegetables a cook.

From The Daily Beast

She said that things started to "heat up" after a young boy was arrested—the police came in wearing riot gear and on horseback.

From The Daily Beast

For the next seven minutes I "thickened the heat up" by adding iron oxide to the bath.

From Project Gutenberg

The molecular beams are instantly irresistible, while the heat beams take time to heat up the target.

From Project Gutenberg

The relux plate, subject now to eddy currents, since there was no other path for the energy to take, began to heat up rapidly.

From Project Gutenberg

The peas were turned out of the can, drained, seasoned and made ready to heat up quickly.

From Project Gutenberg

Without these safeguards, the overloaded electric line will heat up and may start a fire.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• agitate
• arouse
• disturb
• embitter
• enrage
• exacerbate
• fire up
• foment
• ignite
• incense
• infuriate
• intensify
• irritate
• kindle
• provoke
• rile
• roil
• rouse
• stimulate
• worsen