heat

plural heats

1. uncountableThermal energy.

   This furnace puts out 5000 BTUs of heat. That engine is really throwing off some heat. Removal of heat from the liquid caused it to turn into a solid.

   3 more examples

   Heat and temperature, although different, are intimately related. [...] For example, suppose you added equal amounts of heat to equal masses of iron and aluminum. How do you think their temperatures would change?[…]if the temperature of the iron increased by 100 C°, the corresponding temperature change in the aluminum would be only 48 C°.

   2007, James Shipman, Jerry Wilson, Aaron Todd, An Introduction to Physical Science: Twelfth Edition, pages 106–108

   Heat limits the length and intensity of ship-to-ship combat. Starships generate enormous heat when they fire high-energy weapons, perform maneuvering burns, and run on-board combat electronics. In combat, warships produce heat more quickly than they can disperse it. As heat builds within a vessel, the crewed spaces become increasingly uncomfortable. Before the heat reaches lethal levels, a ship must win or retreat by entering FTL. After an FTL run, the ships halts, shuts down non-essential systems, and activates the heat radiation gear.

   2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Space Combat: Combat Endurance Codex entry

   Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.

   2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4

2. uncountableHeating system; a system that raises the temperature of a room or building.

   I'm freezing; could you turn on the heat?

   1 more example

   The couple's sustainability efforts also included installing radiant heat under the concrete-slab floor.

   2026 May 28, Julie Belcove, “Farm Fresh”, in Architectural Digest, volume 83, number 4, page 93

3. uncountableThe output of a heating system.

   During the power outage we had no heat because the controls are electric. Older folks like more heat than the young.

4. countableuncountableThe condition or quality of being hot.

   Stay out of the heat of the sun!

5. countableA hot spell.

   The children stayed indoors during this year's summer heat.

6. uncountableAn attribute of a spice that causes a burning sensation in the mouth.

   The chili sauce gave the dish heat.

7. uncountableA period of intensity, particularly of emotion.

   It's easy to make bad decisions in the heat of the moment.

   Synonyms: passion, vehemence

8. uncountableAn undesirable amount of attention.

   The heat from her family after her DUI arrest was unbearable.

9. countableball gamesA fastball.

   The catcher called for the heat, high and tight.

10. uncountableA condition in which a mammal is aroused sexually or where it is especially fertile and therefore eager to mate.

    The male canines were attracted by the female in heat.

    Synonyms: rut

    1. countableslanglifestyleIn omegaverse fiction, a cyclical period in which omegas experience an intense, sometimes irresistible biological urge to mate.

       Hannibal's first kiss and his alpha saliva trigger Will's heat, […]

       2018, Laura Campillo Arnaiz, “When the Omega Empath Met the Alpha Doctor: An Analysis of Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics in the Hannibal Fandom”, in Ashton Spacey, editor, The Darker Side of Slash Fan Fiction, page 127

       2 more examples

       Some stories engage in dub-con scenarios where one or both partners are out of their minds with heat lust and lose all reasoning and inhibitions.

       2013, Kristina Busse, “Pon Farr, Mpreg, Bonds, and the Rise of the Omegaverse”, in Anne Jamison, editor, Fic: Why Fanfiction Is Taking Over the World, page 321

       When Yuri goes into his first heat, it is not only an uncomfortable and traumatic physical experience, it is also an identity crisis: this is the moment realizes that he is an omega, and not a beta as he had previously assumed.

       2017, Marianne Gunderson, "What is an omega? Rewriting sex and gender in omegaverse fanfiction", thesis submitted to the University of Oslo, page 40

       Synonyms: rut

    2. countableendearingslanguncountableThe sexual arousal of a person, likened to that of a mammal.

       Synonyms: rut

    3. countableslanguncountablelifestyleSemi-softcore NSFW art, primarily when posted to video-sharing websites.

       Synonyms: rut

11. countableA preliminary race, used to determine the participants in a final race.

    The runner had high hopes, but was out of contention after the first heat.

12. broadlycountableA stage in a competition, not necessarily a sporting one; a round.

    The first heat of the Rotary Young Chef Competition went underway on Monday 16th December…

    2019 December 20, Becca, lakedistricthotels.net

13. countableOne cycle of bringing metal to maximum temperature and working it until it is too cool to work further.

    I can make a scroll like that in a single heat.

    1 more example

    The smiths themselves were a grand lot of fellows, full of a robust, and sometimes Rabelaisian sense of humour, and between "heats," they could be most entertaining.

    1945 January and February, A Former Pupil, “Some Memories of Crewe Works—III”, in Railway Magazine, page 13

14. countableA violent action unintermitted; a single effort.

    …many pauses are required for refreshment betwixt the heats….

    1767, John Dryden, THE MISCELLANEOUS WORKS OF JOHN DRYDEN,Esq; Containing all his ORIGINAL POEMS, TITLES, AND TRANSLATIONS, IN FOUR VOLUMES.: VOLUME THE THIRD, page xxvii

15. slanguncountableThe police.

    The heat! Scram!

    2 more examples

    What a field day for the heat / A thousand people in the street

    1966 December, Stephen Stills, “For What It's Worth”performed by Buffalo Springfield

    If you’re black / You might as well not show up on the street / Unless you want to draw the heat

    1976, Jacques Levy, Bob Dylan, “Hurricane”, in Desire, performed by Bob Dylan

16. slanguncountableOne or more firearms.

    "I should have brought some heat for you." "Heat?" "A burner, man, a gun."

    2007, Brian Groh, Summer People, page 234

    4 more examples

    You carrying heat?" "You saw me unload the pistol," Hugo said. "It's in the waistband. And the kitchen knife. I need that for eating.

    1983, Larry Niven with Jerry Pournelle, Lucifer's hammer, page 508

    Evidently, he wasn't carrying heat with him at the time." "Civilized place like Rome, why bother?" Granger observed.

    2004, Tom Clancy, The Teeth of the Tiger, page 62

    Pogo Burns is not a guy who likes to be threatened with a rifle. Especially when it's for no good reason. You never show heat unless you plan to use it.

    2005, John Sayles, Pride of the Bimbos, page 187

    Both were carrying heat, and I slipped their pieces into my pants pockets.

    2008, James Swain, The Night Stalker, page 92

17. slanguncountableStylish and valuable sneakers.

    Whoa, that guy is rocking some serious heat.

    4 more examples

    Even the boy bands had heat.

    2011 September 26, Nick Restivo, “Choreographed Kicks: A History of Boy Bands in Sneaker Heat”, in Complex, New York, N.Y.: Complex Networks, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Aug 2023

    The sneaker release calendar is unpredictable like the weather. Some kicks are pure heat, while others deserve to be left out in the cold. Sifting through the mass isn't easy.

    2020 July 2, Fabian Gorsler, “This Week's Sneaker Weather Forecast Gets Hot & Sweaty”, in Highsnobiety, archived from the original on 29 Aug 2023

    So from a working standpoint, does everyone wear heat in the kitchen? I heard you and your chefs talking about it before the interview.

    2021 September 4, Ross Dwyer, “Sole Mates: Chef James Kent and the Union x Air Jordan 1”, in Hypebeast, archived from the original on 25 Dec 2022

    February is always a great month for sneakers. Thanks to the NBA All-Star Game, all of the league's brightest stars use the platform as an opportunity to debut some new heat.

    2023 May 1, Pat Benson, “The NBA's Top Ten Sneakers of February”, in Sports Illustrated, New York, N.Y.: Arena Group Holdings, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Aug 2023

18. countableslanguncountablegovernmentA negative reaction from the audience, especially as a heel (or bad character), or in general.

present singular third person heats · participle present heating · participle past heated · past heated · dialectal participle past het · dialectal past het

1. transitiveTo cause an increase in temperature of (an object or space); to cause to become hot (often with "up").

   I'll heat up the water.

2. intransitiveTo become hotter.

   There's a pot of soup heating on the stove.

3. figurativelytransitiveTo excite or make hot by action or emotion; to make feverish.

   Ile leaue you my ſweete Ladie, for a while, pray walke ſoftly, doe not heate your bloud, what, I muſt haue care of you.

   c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]

4. figurativelytransitiveTo excite ardour in; to rouse to action; to excite to excess; to inflame, as the passions.

   A noble emulation heats your breaſt, / And your own fame now robs you of your reſt.

   a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “To His Sacred Majesty. A Panegyric on his Coronation.”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume I, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 34

5. slangtransitiveTo arouse, to excite (sexually).

   The massage heated her up.

1. dialectalobsoleteparticiplepastsimple past and past participle of heat

   HEAT, for heated, is in popular use and pronounced het; but it is not elegant.

   [1828, Noah Webster, “Heat”, in An American Dictionary of the English Language: […] , volumes I (A–I), New York, N.Y.: S. Converse; printed by Hezekiah Howe, →OCLC

   2 more examples

   Then was Nebuchad-nezzár ful of rage, and the forme of his viſage was changed againſt Shadrách, Meſhach, & Abednegó: therefore he charged and commanded that they ſhulde heate the fornace at once ſeuen ⁱtimes more then it was wonte to be heate.

   1560, [William Whittingham et al., transl.], The Bible and Holy Scriptures Conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. […] (the Geneva Bible), Geneva: […] Rouland Hall, →OCLC, Daniél III:19, folio 358, verso

   The Iron of it ſelfe, though heate red hot, / Approaching neere theſe eyes, would drinke my teares, / And quench this fierie indignation, / Euen in the matter of mine innocence.

   c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 14, column 1

1. abbreviationacronymgovernmentAcronym of high explosive antitank, a munition using a high explosive shaped charge to breach armour.