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Webster 1913 Edition

Heat

Heat

(hēt)
,
Noun.
[OE.
hete
,
hæte
, AS.
hǣtu
,
hǣto
, fr.
hāt
hot; akin to OHG.
heizi
heat, Dan.
hede
, Sw.
hetta
. See
Hot
.]
1.
A force in nature which is recognized in various effects, but especially in the phenomena of fusion and evaporation, and which, as manifested in fire, the sun’s rays, mechanical action, chemical combination, etc., becomes directly known to us through the sense of feeling. In its nature heat is a mode of motion, being in general a form of molecular disturbance or vibration. It was formerly supposed to be a subtile, imponderable fluid, to which was given the name
caloric
.
☞ As affecting the human body, heat produces different sensations, which are called by different names, as heat or sensible heat, warmth, cold, etc., according to its degree or amount relatively to the normal temperature of the body.
2.
The sensation caused by the force or influence of heat when excessive, or above that which is normal to the human body; the bodily feeling experienced on exposure to fire, the sun's rays, etc.; the reverse of
cold
.
3.
High temperature, as distinguished from low temperature, or cold;
as, the
heat
of summer and the cold of winter;
heat
of the skin or body in fever, etc.
Else how had the world . . .
Avoided pinching cold and scorching
heat
!
Milton.
4.
Indication of high temperature; appearance, condition, or color of a body, as indicating its temperature; redness; high color; flush; degree of temperature to which something is heated, as indicated by appearance, condition, or otherwise.
It has raised . . .
heats
in their faces.
Addison.
The
heats
smiths take of their iron are a blood-red
heat
, a white-flame
heat
, and a sparkling or welding
heat
.
Moxon.
5.
A single complete operation of heating, as at a forge or in a furnace;
as, to make a horseshoe in a certain number of
heats
.
6.
A violent action unintermitted; a single effort; a single course in a race that consists of two or more courses;
as, he won two
heats
out of three
.
Many causes . . . for refreshment betwixt the
heats
.
Dryden.
[He] struck off at one
heat
the matchless tale of “Tam o' Shanter.”
J. C. Shairp.
7.
Utmost violence; rage; vehemence;
as, the
heat
of battle or party
.
“The heat of their division.”
Shak.
8.
Agitation of mind; inflammation or excitement; exasperation.
“The heat and hurry of his rage.”
South.
9.
Animation, as in discourse; ardor; fervency;
as, in the
heat
of argument
.
With all the strength and
heat
of eloquence.
Addison.
11.
Fermentation.
Animal heat
,
Blood heat
,
Capacity for heat
,
etc. See under
Animal
,
Blood
, etc.
–
Atomic heat
(Chem.)
,
the product obtained by multiplying the atomic weight of any element by its specific heat. The atomic heat of all solid elements is nearly a constant, the mean value being 6.4.
–
Dynamical theory of heat
,
that theory of heat which assumes it to be, not a peculiar kind of matter, but a peculiar motion of the ultimate particles of matter.
Heat engine
,
any apparatus by which a heated substance, as a heated fluid, is made to perform work by giving motion to mechanism, as a hot-air engine, or a steam engine.
–
Heat producers
.
(Physiol.)
See under
Food
.
–
Heat rays
,
a term formerly applied to the rays near the red end of the spectrum, whether within or beyond the visible spectrum.
–
Heat weight
(Mech.)
,
the product of any quantity of heat by the mechanical equivalent of heat divided by the absolute temperature; – called also
thermodynamic function
, and
entropy
.
–
Mechanical equivalent of heat
.
See under
Equivalent
.
–
Specific heat of a substance (at any temperature)
,
the number of units of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of the substance at that temperature one degree.
–
Unit of heat
,
the quantity of heat required to raise, by one degree, the temperature of a unit mass of water, initially at a certain standard temperature. The temperature usually employed is that of 0° Centigrade, or 32° Fahrenheit.

Heat

(hēt)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Heated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Heating
.]
[OE.
heten
, AS.
hǣtan
, fr.
hāt
hot. See
Hot
.]
1.
To make hot; to communicate heat to, or cause to grow warm;
as, to
heat
an oven or furnace, an iron, or the like
.
Heat
me these irons hot.
Shakespeare
2.
To excite or make hot by action or emotion; to make feverish.
Pray, walk softly; do not
heat
your blood.
Shakespeare
3.
To excite ardor in; to rouse to action; to excite to excess; to inflame, as the passions.
A noble emulation
heats
your breast.
Dryden.

Heat

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To grow warm or hot by the action of fire or friction, etc., or the communication of heat;
as, the iron or the water
heats
slowly
.
2.
To grow warm or hot by fermentation, or the development of heat by chemical action;
as, green hay
heats
in a mow, and manure in the dunghill
.

Heat

(hĕt)
,
imp.
&
p.
p.
of
Heat
.
Heated;
as, the iron though
heat
red-hot
.
[Obs. or Archaic]
Shak.

Webster 1828 Edition

Heat

HEAT

,
Noun.
[L. aestus, for haestus, or caestus.]
1.
Heat, as a cause of sensation, that is, the matter of heat, is considered to be a subtil fluid, contained in a greater or less degree in all bodies. In modern chimistry, it is called caloric. It expands all bodies in different proportions, and is the cause of fluidity and evaporation. A certain degree of it is also essential to animal and vegetable life. Heat is latent, when so combined with other matter as not to be perceptible. It is sensible, when it is evolved and perceptible.
2.
Heat, as a sensation, is the effect produced on the sentient organs of animals, by the passage of caloric, disengaged from surrounding bodies, to the organs. When we touch or approach a hot body, the caloric or heat passes from that body to our organs of feeling, and gives the sensation of heat. On the contrary, when we touch a cold body, the caloric passes from the hand to that body, and causes a sensation of cold.
Note. This theory of heat seems not to be fully settled.
3.
Hot air; hot weather; as the heat of the tropical climates.
4.
Any accumulation or concentration of the matter of heat or caloric; as the heat of the body; the heat of a furnace; a red heat; a white heat; a welding heat.
5.
The state of being once heated or hot.
Give the iron another heat.
6.
A violent action unintermitted; a single effort.
Many causes are required for refreshment between the heats.
7.
A single effort in running; a course at a race. Hector won at the first heat.
8.
Redness of the face; flush.
9.
Animal excitement; violent action or agitation of the system. The body is all in a heat.
10. Utmost violence; rage; vehemence; as the heat of battle.
11. Violence; ardor; as the heat of party.
12. Agitation of mind; inflammation or excitement; exasperation; as the heat of passion.
13. Ardor; fervency; animation in thought or discourse.
With all the strength and heat of eloquence.
14. Fermentation.

HEAT

,
Verb.
T.
[L. odi, osus, for hodi, hosus; L aestus, for haestus, heat, tide; Gr. to burn, and the English haste and hoist are probably of the same family.]
1.
To make hot; to communicate heat to, or cause to be hot; as, to heat an oven or a furnace; to heat iron.
2.
To make feverish; as, to heat the blood.
3.
To warm with passion or desire; to excite; to rouse into action.
A noble emulation heats your breast.
4.
To agitate the blood and spirits with action; to excite animal action.

HEAT

,
Verb.
I.
To grow warm or hot by fermentation, or extrication of latent heat.
Green hay heats in a mow, and green corn in a bin.
1.
To grow warm or hot. The iron or the water heats slowly.

HEAT

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

Definition 2024

heat

heat

See also: HEAT

English

Noun

heat ‎(countable and uncountable, plural heats)

  1. (uncountable) Thermal energy.
    • 2007, James Shipman, Jerry Wilson, Aaron Todd, An Introduction to Physical Science: Twelfth Edition, pages 106–108:
      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°.
    • 2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
      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.
    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.‎
  2. (uncountable) The condition or quality of being hot.
    Stay out of the heat of the sun!‎
  3. (uncountable) An attribute of a spice that causes a burning sensation in the mouth.
    The chili sauce gave the dish heat.‎
  4. (uncountable) A period of intensity, particularly of emotion.
    It's easy to make bad decisions in the heat of the moment.‎
  5. (uncountable) An undesirable amount of attention.
    The heat from her family after her DUI arrest was unbearable.‎
  6. (uncountable, slang) The police.
    The heat! Scram!‎
  7. (uncountable, slang) One or more firearms.
    • 1983, Larry Niven; Jerry Pournelle, Lucifer's hammer‎, page 508:
      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.
    • 2004, Tom Clancy, The Teeth of the Tiger‎, page 62:
      Evidently, he wasn't carrying heat with him at the time." "Civilized place like Rome, why bother?" Granger observed.
    • 2005, John Sayles, Pride of the Bimbos, page 187:
      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.
    • 2007, Brian Groh, Summer People, page 234:
      "I should have brought some heat for you." "Heat?" "A burner, man, a gun."
    • 2008, James Swain, The Night Stalker, page 92:
      Both were carrying heat, and I slipped their pieces into my pants pockets.
  8. (countable, baseball) A fastball.
    The catcher called for the heat, high and tight.‎
  9. (uncountable) A condition where 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.‎
  10. (countable) A 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.‎
  11. (countable) One 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.‎
  12. (countable) A hot spell.
    The children stayed indoors during this year's summer heat.‎
  13. (uncountable) Heating system; a system that raises the temperature of a room or building.
    I'm freezing; could you turn on the heat?‎
  14. (uncountable) The 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.‎
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English heten, from Old English hǣtan ‎(“to heat; become hot”), from Proto-Germanic *haitijaną ‎(“to heat, make hot”).

Verb

heat ‎(third-person singular simple present heats, present participle heating, simple past and past participle heated)

  1. To cause an increase in temperature of an object or space; to cause something to become hot (often with "up").
    I'll heat up the water.
  2. To excite or make hot by action or emotion; to make feverish.
    • Shakespeare:
      Pray, walk softly; do not heat your blood.
  3. To excite ardour in; to rouse to action; to excite to excess; to inflame, as the passions.
    • Dryden:
      A noble emulation heats your breast.
  4. To arouse, to excite (sexually).
    The massage heated her up.
Synonyms
Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English hete, from Old English hǣte, hǣtu ‎(“heat, warmth; fervor, ardor”), from Proto-Germanic *haitį̄ ‎(“heat”), from Proto-Indo-European *kayd-, a derived form of *kay- ‎(“heat; hot”). Cognate with Scots hete ‎(“heat”), North Frisian hiet ‎(“heat”), Old High German heizī ‎(“heat”). Related also to Dutch hitte ‎(“heat”), German Hitze ‎(“heat”), Swedish hetta ‎(“heat”), Icelandic hita ‎(“heat”).

Pronunciation

  • enPR: hēt, IPA(key): /hiːt/
  • Rhymes: -iːt

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