heated; heating; heats
Definition of heat
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to become warm or hot
water heating in a kettle
2
: to start to spoil from heat
1
: to make warm or hot
heat a can of soup heat the oven to 350 degrees
2
: excite
were heated by his stirring words
heat
nounDefinition of heat (Entry 2 of 2)
1a(1)
: a condition of being hot : warmth
snow melting in the heat of the sun
(2)
: a marked or notable degree of hotness
The heat was intense.
b
: pathological excessive bodily temperature
the heat of the fever
c
: a hot place or situation
get out of the heat
d(1)
: a period of heat
an unbroken heat
(2)
: a single complete operation of making something warm or hot
also
: the quantity of material so heated
e(1)
physics
: added energy that causes substances to rise in temperature, fuse, evaporate, expand, or undergo any of various other related changes, that flows to a body by contact with or radiation from bodies at higher temperatures, and that can be produced in a body (as by compression)
(2)
physics
: the energy associated with the random motions of the molecules, atoms, or smaller structural units of which matter is composed
f
: appearance, condition, or color of something as indicating its temperature
when the rod is at the proper welding heat
2a
: intensity of feeling or reaction : passion
answered with considerable heat
b
: the height or stress of an action or condition
in the heat of battle
3
: a single continuous effort: such as
a
: a single round of a contest (such as a race) having two or more rounds for each contestant
won two heats out of three
b
: one of several preliminary contests held to eliminate less competent contenders
won the second heat but finished third in the final race
4
: pungency of flavor
Add some cayenne pepper for extra heat.
5a
slang
(1)
: the intensification of law-enforcement activity or investigation
waited until the heat was off
(2)
: police
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share heat
Time Traveler for heat
The first known use of heat was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century