heat (redirected from On heat)

*in heat

in a period of sexual excitement; in estrus. (Estrus is the period of time in which females are most willing to breed. This expression is usually used for animals. It has been used for humans in a joking sense. *Typically: be ~; get [into] ~; go [into] ~.) Our dog is in heat. She goes into heat every year at this time.

come in(to) heat and come in(to) season

[for a female animal] to enter into the breeding season. This animal will come into heat in the spring. When did your dog come in season?

See also: come

heat someone up

Fig. to make someone angry. (One old [now folksy] past tense is het.) This kind of nonsense really heats me up. Mean talk heats up the kids.

See also: up

heat something up (to something)

to raise the temperature of something to a certain level. Please heat this room up to about seventy degrees. Can you heat up the room a little more?

See also: up

heat up 

1. Lit. to get warmer or hot. It really heats up in the afternoon around here. How soon will dinner be heated up?

2. Fig. to grow more animated or combative. The debate began to heat up near the end. Their argument was heating up, and I was afraid there would be fighting.

See also: up

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Prov. If the pressures of some situation are too much for you, you should leave that situation. (Somewhat insulting; implies that the person addressed cannot tolerate pressure.) Alan: I didn't think being a stockbroker could be so stressful. Fred: If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Jill: This exercise class is too tough; the teacher should let us slow down. Jane: If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

See also: get, if, kitchen, out, stand

in a dead heat

Fig. [finishing a race] at exactly the same time; tied. The two horses finished the race in a dead heat. They ended the contest in a dead heat.

See also: dead

It's not the heat, it's the humidity.

Prov. When the air is damp, hot days feel even hotter and more miserable. Jill: I hope the air-conditioning is fixed soon; the heat is unbearable in here. Jane: It's not the heat, it's the humidity. Alan: I thought the summers were hot when I was growing up in New Mexico, but they're even hotter here in Iowa. Jane: The climate is moister here; it's not the heat, it's the humidity.

put the heat on (someone) and put the screws on (someone); put the squeeze on (someone); put the heat on; put the screws on; put the squeeze on

Sl. to put pressure on someone (to do something); to coerce someone. John wouldn't talk, so the police were putting the heat on him to confess. When my boss puts the screws on, he can be very unpleasant. The police know how to put the squeeze on.

See also: put

take the heat and take some heat

Sl. to receive or put up with criticism (for something). The cops have been taking some heat about the Quincy killing. If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

See also: take

take the heat off (of) someone or something

Fig. to relieve the pressure on someone or something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) That really takes the heat off of all of us. The change in the deadline takes the heat off the office staff.

See also: take

turn the heat up (on someone)

Fig. to use force to persuade someone to do something; to increase the pressure on someone to do something. Management is turning the heat up to increase production. The teacher really turned up the heat on the students by saying that everyone would be punished if the real culprit was not found.

See also: turn, up

turn up the heat (on someone or something)

Fig. to put pressure on someone or something; apply additional pressure to someone or something. The FBI turned the heat up on the gang. The police turned up the heat on the people who park illegally every day.

See also: turn, up

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If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

something that you say which means if you are not able to deal with a difficult or unpleasant situation, you should leave He says he didn't realize banking was such a stressful job. Well, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

See also: get, if, kitchen, out, stand

in the heat of the moment

if you say or do something in the heat of the moment, you say or do it without thinking because you are angry or excited Frank doesn't hate you. He just said that in the heat of the moment.

See also: moment

put the heat on somebody  

1. (British, American & Australian) to try to force or persuade someone to do something (usually + to do sth) Environmental groups are putting the heat on the government to stop pollution from power stations.

2. (American & Australian) if you put the heat on someone who is competing with you, you start to do well so they have to work harder or play better The Dodgers have won three games in a row and are starting to put the heat on the Mets.

See also: put

take the heat off somebody

to stop people criticizing or attacking someone If your deputy admitted responsibility and resigned, it would take a lot of the heat off you.

See also: take

the heat is on

if the heat is on, you are very busy or in a difficult situation There are only 3 weeks left before the deadline, so the heat is on.

See If can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, turn up the heat

turn up the heat 

1. to make a situation more serious by trying harder to force someone to do something (often + on ) Lorry drivers are discussing whether to turn up the heat on their bosses by holding a one-day strike. The United States has turned up the heat by threatening military action.

2. to start to work or play in a more determined and effective way Nottingham turned up the heat in the second half and forced their opponents back onto the defensive.

See also: turn, up

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heat up (something) also heat something up

to become more active Although nothing is happening right now, business will likely heat up in September after vacation season. Her report has heated up debate on how the president should behave.

See also: up

in the heat of something

while there is much activity and strong emotions Sometimes in the heat of an election campaign a candidate makes a mistake.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form in the heat of the moment (while experiencing strong emotions): His remarks were made in the heat of the moment.

turn up the heat

to increase the amount of pressure, activity, or effort Citizen groups say they will turn up the heat on the governor to sign the education bill. Newspapers need to turn up the heat and pursue more stories about women in business.

See also: turn, up