warming
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a rise in temperature, especially when talking about the Earth's climate.
n.an increase in temperature, frequently occurring in the compound 'global warming' to describe long-term climate shifts.
Simple“Scientists are worried about the rapid warming of the oceans.”
In context“The unprecedented warming of the Arctic permafrost has led to significant concerns regarding the release of trapped methane gases.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.the act of making something warm or becoming warm yourself.
v.the present participle or gerund of 'warm', describing the transition to a higher temperature.
Simple“The sun is finally warming the cold ground after a long winter.”
In context“By warming the solution gradually, the chemist ensured that the reaction proceeded at a manageable and safe rate.”
Synonymsheating upthawingAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.something that makes you feel warm and comfortable.
adj.serving to provide or maintain warmth; often used figuratively to describe emotional comfort.
Simple“She enjoyed a warming bowl of soup on a rainy afternoon.”
In context“The speaker's warming words of encouragement resonated deeply with the audience during the difficult transition period.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a physical punishment or hitting.
n.a physical beating or thrashing, typically used in a domestic or informal context.
Simple“The old stories mention a child getting a warming for being naughty.”
In context“In the gritty Victorian novel, the protagonist narrowly avoids a warming from the schoolmaster after being caught stealing apples.”
UsageUsually used with the verb 'give' or 'get'.
Teacher's tipThis sense is largely dated and mostly found in older British literature; modern speakers would use 'beating' or 'trouncing'.
Usage warming world · warming climate
“The top of the world is warming faster than any other region.”
“El Niño is a natural weather pattern in the Pacific that combined with human-driven global warming can cause temperature spikes and more extreme weather.”
From Middle English warmyng, warmynge, from Old English wærming, wirming, equivalent to warm + -ing.
From Middle English warminge, warmynge, from Old English wærmiġende, wermende, wyrmende, present participle of Old English wyrman, wirman (“to warm”), equivalent to warm + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.