Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense heats, present participle heating, past tense, past participle heated
1. verb
When you heat something, you raise its temperature, for example by using a flame or a special piece of equipment.
Meanwhile, heat the tomatoes and oil in a pan. [VERB noun]
...a gas that absorbs the sun's energy and heats the air above it. [VERB noun]
...heated swimming pools. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: warm (up), cook, fry, boil More Synonyms of heat
2. uncountable noun
Heat is warmth or the quality of being hot.
The seas store heat and release it gradually during cold periods.
Its leaves drooped a little in the fierce heat of the sun.
Synonyms: warmth, hotness, temperature, swelter More Synonyms of heat
3. uncountable noun
Theheat is very hot weather.
As an asthmatic, he cannot cope with the heat and humidity.
This heat is killing me.
See the heat of the day
4. uncountable noun
The heat of something is the temperature of something that is warm or that is being heated.
Warm the milk to blood heat.
Adjust the heat of the barbecue by opening and closing the air vents. [+ of]
5. singular noun
You use heat to refer to a source of heat, for example a cooking ring or the heating system of a house.
Immediately remove the pan from the heat.
Some apartment buildings don't have their heat turned on till the end of this week.
6. uncountable noun
You use heat to refer to a state of strong emotion, especially of anger or excitement.
It was all done in the heat of the moment and I have certainly learned by my mistake. [+ of]
'Look here,' I said, without heat, 'all I did was to walk down a street and sit down.'
Synonyms: passion, excitement, intensity, violence More Synonyms of heat
7. singular noun
The heat of a particular activity is the point when there is the greatest activity or excitement.
Last week, in the heat of the election campaign, the Prime Minister left for America. [+ of]
8. countable noun
A heat is one of a series of races or competitions. The winners of a heat take part in another race or competition, against the winners of otherheats.
...the heats of the men's 100m breaststroke.
9. See also dead heat
10.
See on heat/in heat
Phrasal verbs:
See heat up
More Synonyms of heat
heat in British English
(hiːt)
noun
1.
a.
the energy transferred as a result of a difference in temperature
b.
the random kinetic energy of the atoms, molecules, or ions in a substance or body
▶ Related adjectives: thermal, calorific
2.
the sensation caused in the body by heat energy; warmth
3.
the state or quality of being hot
4.
hot weather
the heat of summer
5.
intensity of feeling; passion
the heat of rage
6.
pressure
the political heat on the government over the economy
7.
the most intense or active part
the heat of the battle
8.
a period or condition of sexual excitement in female mammals that occurs at oestrus
9. sport
a.
a preliminary eliminating contest in a competition
b.
a single section of a contest
10. slang
police activity after a crime
the heat is off
11. mainly US slang
criticism or abuse
he took a lot of heat for that mistake
12. in the heat of the moment
13. on heat
14. the heat
15. turn up the heat
verb
16.
to make or become hot or warm
17.
to make or become excited or intense
Derived forms
heatless (ˈheatless)
adjective
Word origin
Old English hǣtu; related to hāthot, Old Frisian hēte heat, Old High German heizī
heat in American English
(hit)
noun
1.
the quality of being hot; hotness: in physics, heat is considered a form of energy existing as the result of the random motionof molecules and is the form of energy that is transferred between bodies as a resultof their temperature difference
2.
a.
much hotness; great warmth
stifling heat
b.
fever
3.
degree of hotness or warmth
at low heat
4.
the perception of heat by the senses, resulting from contact with or nearness to something hot; sensation of hotness or warmth felt through the skin
5.
hot weather or climate
6.
the warming of a room, house, etc., as by a stove or furnace
his rent includes heat
7.
a burning sensation produced by spices, mustard, etc.
8.
color or other appearance as an indication of hotness
blue heat in metals
9.
strong feeling or emotion; excitement, ardor, anger, zeal, etc.
10.
the period or condition of excitement, intensity, stress, etc.; most violent or intense point or stage
in the heat of battle
11.
a single effort, round, bout, or trial; esp., any of the preliminary rounds of a race, etc., the winners of which compete in the final round
12.
a.
sexual excitement
b.
the period of sexual excitement in animals; esp., the estrus of females
13. US, Slang
a.
coercion, as by intimidation
b.
great pressure, as in criminal investigation or law enforcement
c.
the police
d.
a pistol
14. Baseball; Slang
pitches thrown with great velocity
15. Metallurgy
a.
a single heating of metal, ore, etc. in a furnace or forge
b.
the amount processed in a single heating
verb transitive, verb intransitive
16.
to make or become warm or hot
17.
to make or become excited; inflame or become inflamed
Word origin
ME hete < OE hætu < base of hat (see hot), akin to Ger heiss < IE base *kai-, heat
heat in Mechanical Engineering
(hit)
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Energy, thermodynamics and heat transfer)
Heat is a type of energy associated with temperature.
When heat goes into a substance, the temperature of that substance rises.
The furnace keeps trying to turn on but then shuts itself off without ever producingany heat.
Heat is a type of energy associated with temperature.
heat pump, heat transfer, heater
More idioms containing
heat
turn up the heat on someone
in the heat of the moment
the heat is on
Examples of 'heat' in a sentence
heat
Tip into a casserole pan on a medium heat with the butter.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In the heat of the moment few would have been able to ignore such mocking provocation.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Stir in the courgette and heat through for one minute.
The Sun (2017)
Return the pan to a high heat.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Stir over a low heat to dissolve.
The Sun (2016)
By day the heat was intense.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But admit it - the heat can also make us a bit flustered.
The Sun (2016)
They are usually found in bedrooms, lured by our body heat and carbon dioxide from our breath.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Blitz to a very smooth purée, then pour it into a small saucepan and heat until piping hot.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Clothes drying on radiators means they have clothes, the clothes are washed and there is some heat in the house.
The Sun (2016)
We ask in the heat of emotion.
Christianity Today (2000)
The heat eases this week with more of an unsettled look across all parts.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This has been a campaign stronger on heat than light.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The last thing you want is a great big house to heat.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It uses twice the amount of energy to heat as the average home.
The Sun (2015)
They reach the top in the white heat of competition that burns across the planet.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Ask an adult to microwave it on a medium heat for around one minute.
The Sun (2012)
Another endlessly dreary round of the cookery contest heats.
The Sun (2014)
Other systems drew heat from the earth.
The Sun (2009)
They provide a healthier way to live as you have one source of heat.
The Sun (2013)
Strain the sauce and place in a small saucepan over a low heat to keep warm.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Turn off the heat under the pan.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Your own body heat helps to keep things warm.
The Sun (2012)
Stir the sauce over a medium low heat until it boils and thickens.
Bennett, Carol Asthma and Eczema - special diet cookbook (1989)
We both acted regrettably in the heat of the moment.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We stop to sleep and avoid the heat of the day.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You feel the zip and the heat and the air pressure.
The Sun (2009)
These are skills that wilt in the heat of the race if duress has not become habit.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Flames and heat fanned around the planet.
Michael Boulter EXTINCTION: Evolution and the End of Man (2002)
The system can be made more efficient by capturing waste heat from the gas turbine to drive a steam turbine.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They both failed to get through the 100m heats.
The Sun (2008)
Avoid man-made fibres which could make prickly heat worse.
The Sun (2014)
And, perhaps this story of heat and anger, devotion and bitter hatred is best savoured in our dog days of winter.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Quotations
If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen
In other languages
heat
British English: heat /hiːt/ NOUN
Heat is warmth or the quality of being hot.
...the strong heat of the sun.
American English: heat
Arabic: حَرَارَة
Brazilian Portuguese: calor
Chinese: 热
Croatian: vrućina
Czech: teplo
Danish: varme
Dutch: hitte
European Spanish: calor
Finnish: kuumuus
French: chaleur
German: Hitze
Greek: θερμότητα
Italian: calore
Japanese: 熱
Korean: 열
Norwegian: varme
Polish: ciepło
European Portuguese: calor
Romanian: căldură
Russian: жара
Latin American Spanish: calor
Swedish: värme
Thai: ความร้อน
Turkish: ısı
Ukrainian: тепло
Vietnamese: nhiệt
British English: heat /hiːt/ VERB
When you heat something, you raise its temperature, for example by using a flame or a special piece of equipment.
Meanwhile, heat the tomatoes and oil in a pan.
American English: heat
Arabic: يُسَخِّنُ
Brazilian Portuguese: aquecer
Chinese: 供热
Croatian: grijati
Czech: ohřát
Danish: opvarme
Dutch: verhitten
European Spanish: calentar transitivo
Finnish: lämmittää
French: chauffer
German: heizen
Greek: θερμαίνω
Italian: riscaldare
Japanese: 熱する
Korean: 가열하다
Norwegian: varme
Polish: ogrzać
European Portuguese: aquecer
Romanian: a încălzi
Russian: нагревать
Latin American Spanish: calentar
Swedish: värma
Thai: ทำให้ร้อน
Turkish: ısıtmak
Ukrainian: гріти
Vietnamese: đốt nóng
All related terms of 'heat'
heat up
When you heat something up , especially food which has already been cooked and allowed to go cold , you make it hot .
on heat
(of some female mammals) sexually receptive
dead heat
If a race or contest is a dead heat , two or more competitors are joint winners , or are both winning at a particular moment in the race or contest. In American English , you can say that a race or contest is in a dead heat .
heat haze
a phenomenon that occurs in hot weather in which distant objects are indistinct or appear to shimmer because slight differences in air temperature affect the transmission of light
heat lamp
a lamp fitted with an infrared bulb to supply heat esp. as part of physical therapy
heat loss
the loss of heat from something such as a building
heat map
a graphical representation of data in which a spectrum of colours is used to represent the different values
heat pipe
a thin, sealed metal tube that efficiently transfers heat without a pump , using a fluid that vaporizes at the hot end, condenses as it reaches the cooler end, and returns to the hot end by capillary action through a wick or along tiny grooves in the wall
heat pump
a device, as used in a refrigerator , for extracting heat from a source and delivering it elsewhere at a much higher temperature
heat rash
→ miliaria
heat sink
a metal plate specially designed to conduct and radiate heat from an electrical component
heat wave
unusually hot weather , resulting from a slowly moving air mass of relatively high temperature
red heat
the temperature at which a substance is red-hot
the heat
the police
animal heat
heat produced in the body of an animal by chemical changes that occur when food is assimilated
atomic heat
the product of an element's atomic weight and its specific heat ( capacity )
black heat
heat emitted by an electric element made from low-resistance thick wire that does not glow red
blood heat
Blood heat is a temperature of 37°C, which is about the same as the normal temperature of the human body.
bottom heat
heat artificially applied to a container in which plants are grown in order to induce their germination, rooting, or growth
heat cramp
a cramp or muscular spasm caused by loss of water and salt following prolonged exertion in hot weather
heat death
the condition of any closed system when its total entropy is a maximum and it has no available energy. If the universe is a closed system, it should eventually reach this state
heat engine
an engine that converts heat energy into mechanical energy
heat island
the mass of air over a large city, characteristically having a slightly higher average temperature than that of the surrounding air
heat shield
a coating or barrier for shielding from excessive heat, such as that experienced by a spacecraft on re-entry into the earth's atmosphere
heat source
an object that produces or radiates heat
heat stroke
Heat stroke is the same as → sunstroke .
heat-treat
to apply heat to (a metal or alloy ) in one or more temperature cycles to give it desirable properties
latent heat
the heat evolved or absorbed by unit mass ( specific latent heat ) or unit amount of substance ( molar latent heat ) when it changes phase without change of temperature
steam heat
heat provided by steam
total heat
a thermodynamic property of a system equal to the sum of its internal energy and the product of its pressure and volume
white heat
intense heat or a very high temperature , characterized by emission of white light
heat barrier
→ thermal barrier
heat capacity
the heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by unit temperature interval under specified conditions, usually measured in joules per kelvin . Symbol : C p (for constant pressure ) or C v (for constant volume )
heat constant
a quantity that is considered invariable throughout a series of calculations relating to the heat of bodies
heat content
a thermodynamic property of a system equal to the sum of its internal energy and the product of its pressure and volume
heat-seeking
(of a detecting device ) able to detect sources of infrared radiation
heat transfer
Heat transfer is the movement of heat from one substance or material to another.
prickly heat
Prickly heat is a condition caused by very hot weather , in which your skin becomes hot, uncomfortable , and covered with tiny bumps .
radiant heat
heat transferred in the form of electromagnetic radiation rather than by conduction or convection ; infrared radiation
residual heat
heat that remains or lingers after something has been hot or heated up
sensible heat
Sensible heat is heat which is exchanged in an energy generation system, and which only affects the temperature of one or more substances.
specific heat
the number of calories needed to raise the temperature of one gram of a given substance 1° C
heat-conducting
able to conduct heat or whose function is to conduct heat
heat-conduction
the transfer of thermal energy between molecules
heat conductor
a material or device that conducts heat
heat efficiency
the ratio of the work done by a heat engine to the energy supplied to it
heat exchanger
a device for transferring heat from one fluid to another without allowing them to mix
heat exhaustion
a condition resulting from exposure to intense heat, characterized by dizziness, abdominal cramp , and prostration
heat lightning
flashes of light seen near the horizon , esp on hot evenings : reflections of more distant lightning
heat-resistant
able to resist and remain unaffected by heat
Chinese translation of 'heat'
heat
(hiːt)
n
(u) (= warmth) 热(熱) (rè)
(u) (= temperature) 热(熱)度 (rèdù)
(u) (= hob, flame etc) 热(熱)源 (rèyuán)
(c) (Sport) (also qualifying heat)
预(預)赛(賽) (yùsài) (场(場), chǎng)
vt
[water, food]加热(熱) (jiārè)
[room, house]取暖 (qǔnuǎn)
in the heat of the election campaign在选(選)举(舉)竞(競)争(爭)的白热(熱)阶(階)段 (zài xuǎnjǔ jìngzhēng de báirè jiēduàn)
in the heat of the moment一时(時)激动(動)之下 (yīshí jīdòng zhī xià)
to be on or (US) in heat (Zool) 正在发(發)情 (zhèngzài fāqíng)
I find the heat unbearable热(熱)得我实(實)在受不了 (rè de wǒ shízài shòu bù liǎo)
All related terms of 'heat'
heat up
( water, room ) 热(熱)起来(來) rè qǐlái
to be on or ( US ) in heat
( Zool ) 正在发(發)情 zhèngzài fāqíng
I find the heat unbearable
热(熱)得我实(實)在受不了 rè de wǒ shízài shòu bù liǎo
in the heat of the moment
一时(時)激动(動)之下 yīshí jīdòng zhī xià
to feel the cold/the heat
怕冷/热(熱) pàlěng/rè
in the heat of the election campaign
在选(選)举(舉)竞(競)争(爭)的白热(熱)阶(階)段 zài xuǎnjǔ jìngzhēng de báirè jiēduàn
UHT
ultra-heat treated 超高温(溫)处(處)理 chāogāowēn chǔlǐ
1 (verb)
Definition
to make or become hot or warm
Meanwhile, heat the tomatoes and oil in a pan.
Synonyms
warm (up)
cook
fry
boil
roast
reheat
make hot
Opposites
cool
,
freeze
,
chill
,
cool off
2 (verb)
The war of words continues to heat up.
Synonyms
intensify
The conflict is almost bound to intensify.
increase
The company has increased the price of its cars.
heighten
The move has heightened tension in the state.
deepen
Sloane's uneasiness deepened.
Further job losses deepened the gloom.
escalate
Defeat could cause one side or the other to escalate the conflict.
1 (noun)
Definition
the state of being hot
Leaves drooped in the fierce heat of the sun.
Synonyms
warmth
She went in, drawn by the warmth of the fire.
hotness
temperature
swelter
sultriness
fieriness
torridity
warmness
calefaction
Opposites
cold
,
coolness
,
coldness
2 (noun)
Definition
hot weather
The heat is killing me.
Synonyms
hot weather
warmth
closeness
high temperature
heatwave
warm weather
hot climate
hot spell
mugginess
3 (noun)
Definition
intensity of feeling
It was all done in the heat of the moment.
Synonyms
passion
Her eyes were blazing with passion.
excitement
The audience was in a state of great excitement.
intensity
His intensity, and the ferocity of his feelings alarmed me.
violence
‘There's no need,’ she snapped with sudden violence.
fever
I got married in a fever of excitement.
fury
She screamed, her face distorted with fury.
warmth
zeal
his zeal for teaching
agitation
fervour
an outbreak of religious fervour
ardour
Their romantic ardour had cooled.
vehemence
He spoke loudly and with more vehemence than he had intended.
earnestness
He spoke with intense earnestness.
impetuosity
With characteristic impetuosity, he announced he was leaving school.
Opposites
composure
,
coolness
,
coldness
,
calmness
idiom
See get heated up
phrasal verb
See heat up
related words
related adjectivesthermalcalorific
related phobiathermophobia
proverb
If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ardour
Definition
emotional warmth
Their romantic ardour had cooled.
Synonyms
passion,
feeling,
fire,
heat,
spirit,
intensity,
warmth,
devotion,
fervour,
vehemence,
fierceness
in the sense of closeness
Synonyms
stuffiness,
thickness,
humidity,
heaviness,
staleness,
oppressiveness,
airlessness,
sultriness,
mugginess,
frowstiness,
confinedness,
humidness
in the sense of deepen
Definition
to make or become deeper or more intense
Sloane's uneasiness deepened.Further job losses deepened the gloom.