<p><strong>Noun:</strong></p><ul><li>a relatively high degree of warmth.</li><li>Antonyms: coolness.</li><li>the condition or quality of being hot: The heat of the oven will caramelize the natural sugars in the vegetables, enhancing their flavor.</li><li>Synonyms: hotness, warmth.</li><li>the degree of hotness; temperature: Heat is measured with a thermometer. Moderate heat is sufficient for a child’s bathwater.</li><li>Synonyms: caloricity.</li><li>the sensation of warmth or hotness: She enjoyed the pleasant heat on her face and hands from the crackling fire.</li><li>a bodily temperature higher than normal: The heat caused by physical exertion is reduced by sweating.</li><li>added or external energy that causes a rise in temperature, expansion, evaporation, or other physical change: The application of heat causes particles of matter to move more rapidly.</li><li>Physics: a nonmechanical energy transfer with reference to a temperature difference between a system and its surroundings or between two parts of the same system.</li><li>a hot condition of the atmosphere or physical environment; hot season or weather: They go up north in the summer to escape the heat.</li><li>a period of hot weather.</li><li>a sharp, pungent flavor, as that produced by strong spices.</li><li>warmth or intensity of feeling; vehemence; passion: He spoke with much heat and at great length.</li><li>Synonyms: impetuosity, excitement, fever, flush, zeal, fervor, ardor.</li><li>Antonyms: indifference.</li><li>a point or period of high intensity in an action, process, situation, etc.: Soldiers must make snap decisions in the heat of battle with no certainty of the outcome.</li><li>In the heat of his hasty departure he forgot his keys.</li><li>Often the heat.</li><li>pressure to act, work, etc.: All this media attention is putting the heat on him to change his position on the issue. Give me a deadline—I work best under a little heat.</li><li>Slang: intensified pressure verging on coercion and involving intimidation or implied threat, especially in a police investigation: They had to use heat to get the guy to give them some names.</li><li>the heat, Slang: the police: We split when we saw the heat coming.</li><li>Slang: armed protection, especially a pistol, revolver, or other firearm: All guards carry some heat.</li><li>a single intense effort; a sustained, concentrated, and continuous operation: The painting was finished at a heat.</li><li>Sports: a single course in or division of a race or other contest.</li><li>a race or other contest in which competitors attempt to qualify for entry in the final race or contest.</li><li>Metallurgy: a single operation of heating, as of metal in a furnace, in the treating and melting of metals.</li><li>a quantity of metal produced by such an operation.</li><li>Zoology: sexual receptiveness in animals, especially females.</li><li>the period or duration of such receptiveness: Do not frequent dog parks or other dog-populated areas while your dog is in heat.</li><li>the heat, Slang: awesome or excellent; cool: Check out the photography on her website—that stuff’s the heat!</li></ul><p><strong>Verb:</strong></p><ul><li>(used with object) to make hot or warm (often followed by up): Let me heat this leftover soup in the microwave.</li><li>Antonyms: cool.</li><li>to excite emotionally; inflame or rouse with passion.</li><li>Synonyms: animate, stir, warm, stimulate.</li><li>(used without object) to become hot or warm (often followed by up): It takes a while for the house to heat up.</li><li>to become excited emotionally.</li><li>verb phrase: to increase or become more active or intense: Business competition will heat up toward the end of the year.</li></ul>