# heats

/ˈhits/ (US) · /hˈiːts/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/heats
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to make hot

verb · CEFR A2

to make something warm or hot.

For teachers: to increase the temperature of something; third-person singular present indicative form.

- The sun heats the water in the pool during the day.
- The central processing unit heats up significantly when the computer runs demanding software for extended periods.

### 2. preliminary races

noun · CEFR B2

a series of races or contests to decide who will be in the final.

For teachers: preliminary rounds of a competition, the winners of which go on to participate in the final.

- She won both of her heats and qualified for the final race.
- The Olympic swimmers competed in several heats throughout the morning to determine the lane assignments for the evening medal round.

### 3. periods of hot weather

noun · CEFR C1 · Archaic

times when the weather is very hot.

For teachers: distinct periods of intense atmospheric warmth or high temperature.

- The long summer heats caused the small river to dry up completely.
- Historical records from the nineteenth century describe the oppressive summer heats that frequently led to water shortages in the city.

## Examples

- She won her heat and qualified for the final.
- After several intense heats throughout the morning, only eight runners remained for the afternoon championship race.
- The tournament structure requires athletes to perform consistently through multiple heats, as even a minor lapse in concentration during the early rounds can result in immediate elimination from the finals.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.