Heat | Mean of heat in English Dictionary

/ˈhiːt/

• Noun
• energy that causes things to become warmer
1. The sun's heat melted the snow.
2. the intense heat of a fire
3. She applied heat to the sore muscles in her leg.
4. body heat
• hot weather or temperatures
1. a period of high heat and humidity
2. The crops were damaged by drought and extreme heat.
3. the desert's dry heat [=hot temperatures with little moisture in the air]
4. She doesn't like the heat.
5. The runners performed well despite the 90-degree heat.
6. These flowers tend to wilt in the heat of summer.
7. They found a place to rest during the midday/afternoon heat.
8. They rested during the heat of the day. [=the hottest part of the day]
• the level of temperature that is used to cook something
1. The meat was cooked at a high heat for 10 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer.
3. Cook the milk over low/gentle/medium heat.

• a source of heat used for cooking something
1. Remove the pan from the heat.
• the system that is used to provide warmth to a room or building
1. The house uses electric/gas/oil/solar heat. [=heating]
2. Would you please turn up/down the heat? [=(Brit) heating]
• strong and often angry feelings
1. It's a topic that generates a lot of heat.
2. He responded with some heat [=he responded in an angry way] to the accusations.
• the time when emotions are most strongly felt
1. The crime was committed in the heat of passion. [=when the criminal was very angry]
2. She said things in the heat of the moment [=when she was angry for a short period of time] that she later regretted.
• pressure to do something
1. The administration is putting the heat on legislators to approve the tax bill.
2. She's at her best when the heat is on. [=when she feels a lot of pressure; when she needs to finish something quickly]
3. The company has turned up the heat on [=has put extra pressure on] its employees to finish the job quickly.
• criticism or abuse
1. He took/got a lot of heat for his decision.
• one of several races or contests that are held in order to decide who will be in the final race or contest
1. The top two finishers in each heat will move on to the finals.
• to carry a gun
1. a thug who was packing heat
• Verb
• to cause (something) to become warm or hot
1. I heated the vegetables in the microwave.
2. They heat their house with a wood stove.
• to become warm or hot
1. The morning started out cold but it heated up quickly.
• to become more active, intense, or angry
1. Their conversation started to heat up. [=(Brit) hot up]
2. Competition between the two companies is heating up.