As a noun, heat is the quality of being hot or a high temperature. As a verb, to heat something means to make it warm or hot.
From Old English “hǣtu” or “hǣt,” related to the verb “hotian” (to become hot). These words come from a root shared with “hot.”
We use “heat” in invisible ways, like “the heat of an argument” or “feeling the heat” under pressure. It’s a good example of how physical sensations become emotional metaphors in language.
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