white-hot
[hwahyt-hot, wahyt-]
- extremely hot.
- showing white heat.
- exceedingly enthusiastic, ardent, angry, devoted, etc.; impassioned; perfervid: a fierce, white-hot loyalty to the king.
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Origin of white-hot
First recorded in 1810–20
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
radiant, luminous, shining, red-hot, blazing, hot, steamy, sultry, white-hot, scorching, flaming, searing, glowing, gleaming, fiery, burning, sentimental, rousing, intense, fierceExamples from the Web for white-hot
Contemporary Examples
Or maybe, just maybe, he will zing the president on a white-hot issue dominating every waking moment for, um, some voters.
But publicly, it chose to say little, hoping to maintain a neutral position in a white-hot international scandal.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s New York Hotel Disputes Allegations of ConspiracyJohn Solomon
November 27, 2011
Over the past few decades, the study of telomeres has risen to become a white-hot area of very legitimate scientific research.
Over the past few decades, research into telomeres has become a "white-hot area of science," says Singer.
She tattooed her wrist with the letter E (for Edouard) by pressing a piece of white-hot metal there.
Historical Examples
Macdonald strode to the forge and took out the bar of white-hot iron.
In the Midst of AlarmsRobert Barr
Grant it but a chink or keyhole, and it shot in like a white-hot arrow.
Little DorritCharles Dickens
Blake started up the hillside, his pale eyes like white-hot steel.
Out of the DepthsRobert Ames Bennet
We may raise the temperature, say, of iron, until it is white-hot.
The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4)J. Arthur Thomson
Instantly a white-hot excitement flared from end to end of the car.
The OctopusFrank Norris
white-hot
- at such a high temperature that white light is emitted
- informal in a state of intense emotion
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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