Try Our Apps


The saddest words


[heet] /hit/
the condition or quality of being hot:
the heat of an oven.
the degree of hotness; temperature:
moderate heat.
the sensation of warmth or hotness:
unpleasant heat.
a bodily temperature higher than normal:
a period of hot weather.
warmth or intensity of feeling; vehemence; passion:
He spoke with much heat and at great length.
maximum intensity in an activity, condition, etc.; the height of any action, situation, or the like:
the heat of battle; the heat of passion.
In the heat of his hasty departure he forgot his keys.
a single intense effort; a sustained, concentrated, and continuous operation:
The painting was finished at a heat.
Slang. intensified pressure, especially in a police investigation.
Slang. the police.
Slang. armed protection, especially a pistol, revolver, or other firearm:
All guards carry some heat.
  1. a single course in or division of a race or other contest.
  2. a race or other contest in which competitors attempt to qualify for entry in the final race or contest.
  2. a quantity of metal produced by such an operation.
  1. sexual receptiveness in animals, especially females.
  2. the period or duration of such receptiveness:
    to be in heat.
verb (used with object)
to make hot or warm (often followed by up).
to excite emotionally; inflame or rouse with passion.
verb (used without object)
to become hot or warm (often followed by up).
to become excited emotionally.
Verb phrases
heat up, to increase or become more active or intense:
Business competition will heat up toward the end of the year.
Origin of heat
before 900; Middle English hete, Old English hǣtu; akin to German Hitze; see hot
Related forms
heatable, adjective
heatful, adjective
heatless, adjective
heatlike, adjective
reheat, verb
reheatable, adjective
self-heating, adjective
underheat, verb (used with object)
unheatable, adjective
2. hotness, warmth. 3. caloricity. 11. ardor, fervor, zeal, flush, fever, excitement, impetuosity. 22. stimulate, warm, stir, animate.
1. coolness. 11. indifference. 21. cool. Unabridged
Cite This Source
Examples from the Web for reheat
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples
British Dictionary definitions for reheat


verb (riːˈhiːt)
to heat or be heated again: to reheat yesterday's soup
noun (ˈriːˌhiːt)
Derived Forms
reheater, noun


  1. the energy transferred as a result of a difference in temperature
  2. the random kinetic energy of the atoms, molecules, or ions in a substance or body
related adjectives thermal calorific
the sensation caused in the body by heat energy; warmth
the state or quality of being hot
hot weather: the heat of summer
intensity of feeling; passion: the heat of rage
pressure: the political heat on the government over the economy
the most intense or active part: the heat of the battle
a period or condition of sexual excitement in female mammals that occurs at oestrus
  1. a preliminary eliminating contest in a competition
  2. a single section of a contest
(slang) police activity after a crime: the heat is off
(mainly US, slang) criticism or abuse: he took a lot of heat for that mistake
in the heat of the moment, without pausing to think
on heat, in heat
  1. Also in season. (of some female mammals) sexually receptive
  2. in a state of sexual excitement
(slang) the heat, the police
(informal) turn up the heat, turn on the heat, to increase the intensity of activity, coercion, etc
to make or become hot or warm
to make or become excited or intense
Derived Forms
heatless, adjective
Word Origin
Old English hǣtu; related to hāthot, Old Frisian hēte heat, Old High German heizī
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
Cite This Source
Word Origin and History for reheat




Old English hætan "to heat; to become hot," from Proto-Germanic *haitijanam (see heat (n.)). Related: Heated (with many variants in Middle English); heating. Cf. Middle Dutch heeten, Dutch heten, German heizen "to heat."



Old English hætu, hæto "heat, warmth; fervor ardor," from Proto-Germanic *haiti- "heat" (cf. Old Saxon hittia, Old Norse hiti, Old Frisian hete, German hitze "heat," Gothic heito "fever"), from PIE *kaid-, from root *kai- "heat." The same root is the source of Old English hat "hot" and hæða "hot weather" (see hot).

Meaning "a single course in a race," especially a horse race, is from 1660s, perhaps from earlier figurative sense of "violent action; a single intense effort" (late 14c.), or meaning "run given to a horse to prepare for a race" (1570s). This later expanded to "division of a race or contest when there are too many contestants to run at once," the winners of each heat then competing in a final race. Meaning "sexual excitement in animals" is from 1768. Meaning "trouble with the police" attested by 1920. Heat wave "period of excessive hot weather" first attested 1890; earlier in reference to solar cycles.



Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
reheat in Medicine

heat (hēt)




  4. Estrus.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Cite This Source
reheat in Science
  1. Internal energy that is transferred to a physical system from outside the system because of a difference in temperature and does not result in work done by the system on its surroundings. Absorption of energy by a system as heat takes the form of increased kinetic energy of its molecules, thus resulting in an increase in temperature of the system. Heat is transferred from one system to another in the direction of higher to lower temperature. See also thermodynamics. See Note at temperature.

  2. See estrus.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Cite This Source
reheat in Culture

heat definition

In physics, a form of energy associated with the movement of atoms and molecules in any material. The higher the temperature of a material, the faster the atoms are moving, and hence the greater the amount of energy present as heat. (See infrared radiation.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang definitions & phrases for reheat



  1. Pursuit, prosecution, and other sorts of involvement with the law: types of cash mark which do not involve federal heat (1928+ Underworld)
  2. (also heater) A good fastball (1980s+ Baseball)
  3. Any sort of trouble, pressure, or recrimination, esp the angry complaining of irritated persons; flak, static: We better expect heat when this report gets out (late 1920s+)
  4. (also heater) A firearm, usually a pistol: I was packing about as much heat as you find in an icicle without a gun (late 1920s+)
  5. A round in boxing, inning in baseball, etc •Heat, ''a horse race,'' is found by 1663 (1940s+ Sports)

Related Terms

bitch in heat, dead heat, give someone heat, pack heat

Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.
Cite This Source
Idioms and Phrases with reheat


In addition to the idioms beginning with heat
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Cite This Source

Word of the Day

Difficulty index for heat

All English speakers likely know this word

Word Value for reheat

Scrabble Words With Friends

Nearby words for reheat