heat
♦♦ heat /h'iːt/ (heats heating heated)
1 [VERB] V n, V-ed
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.
...heated swimming pools.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Heat is warmth or the quality of being hot.
The seas store heat and release it gradually during cold periods...
3 [N-UNCOUNT]
The heat is very hot weather.
As an asthmatic, he cannot cope with the heat and humidity...
4 [N-UNCOUNT] with supp
The heat of something is the temperature of something that is warm or that is being heated.
Adjust the heat of the barbecue by opening and closing the air vents.
5 [N-SING]
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...
6 [N-UNCOUNT] oft N of n
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...
7 [N-SING] the N of n
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.
8 [N-COUNT]
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 other heats.
...the heats of the men's 100m breaststroke.
see also dead heat
9 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
When a female animal is on heat in British English, or in heat in American English, she is in a state where she is ready to mate with a male animal, as this will probably result in her becoming pregnant.blood heat
[N-UNCOUNT]
Blood heat is a temperature of 37°C, which is about the same as the normal temperature of the human body.dead heat (dead heats)
[N-COUNT]
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.
The race ended in a dead heat between two horses...heat stroke
also heatstroke
[N-UNCOUNT]
Heat stroke is the same as sunstroke.heat up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
When you heat something up, especially food which has already been cooked and allowed to go cold, you make it hot.
Freda heated up a pie for me.
= warm up
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When a situation heats up, things start to happen much more quickly and with increased interest and excitement among the people involved.
Then in the last couple of years, the movement for democracy began to heat up.
= hot up
≠ cool off
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When something heats up, it gradually becomes hotter.
In the summer her mobile home heats up like an oven.
≠ cool downprick|ly heat
[N-UNCOUNT]
Prickly heat is a condition caused by very hot weather, in which your skin becomes hot, uncomfortable, and covered with tiny bumps.
1 [VERB] V n, V-ed
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.
...heated swimming pools.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Heat is warmth or the quality of being hot.
The seas store heat and release it gradually during cold periods...
3 [N-UNCOUNT]
The heat is very hot weather.
As an asthmatic, he cannot cope with the heat and humidity...
4 [N-UNCOUNT] with supp
The heat of something is the temperature of something that is warm or that is being heated.
Adjust the heat of the barbecue by opening and closing the air vents.
5 [N-SING]
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...
6 [N-UNCOUNT] oft N of n
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...
7 [N-SING] the N of n
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.
8 [N-COUNT]
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 other heats.
...the heats of the men's 100m breaststroke.
see also dead heat
9 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
When a female animal is on heat in British English, or in heat in American English, she is in a state where she is ready to mate with a male animal, as this will probably result in her becoming pregnant.blood heat
[N-UNCOUNT]
Blood heat is a temperature of 37°C, which is about the same as the normal temperature of the human body.dead heat (dead heats)
[N-COUNT]
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.
The race ended in a dead heat between two horses...heat stroke
also heatstroke
[N-UNCOUNT]
Heat stroke is the same as sunstroke.heat up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
When you heat something up, especially food which has already been cooked and allowed to go cold, you make it hot.
Freda heated up a pie for me.
= warm up
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When a situation heats up, things start to happen much more quickly and with increased interest and excitement among the people involved.
Then in the last couple of years, the movement for democracy began to heat up.
= hot up
≠ cool off
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When something heats up, it gradually becomes hotter.
In the summer her mobile home heats up like an oven.
≠ cool downprick|ly heat
[N-UNCOUNT]
Prickly heat is a condition caused by very hot weather, in which your skin becomes hot, uncomfortable, and covered with tiny bumps.