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Glite Dictionary
to turn on the heat

to turn on the heat

4 2.0
To make a room or car warm by switching on a machine that warms it
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : encender la calefacción
  • Before the guests arrive, make sure to turn on the heat to warm up the house.
  • turned on the heat in the car

Examples

  • We'll turn on the heat downstairs.

    The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)

  • They put on their coats before they climbed in, and Gust turned on the heat as he started the car.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Now turn on the heat.

    3 Day Test (2012)

  • Who turned on the heat?

    The People Under the Stairs (1991)

  • Could you turn on the heat?

    Fiction book (1997)

  • I'll turn on the heat.

    Carpool (1996)

  • We'd be warmer if you turned on the heat.

    3 Day Test (2012)

  • Turn on the heat.

    Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

  • He carried me to the backseat of his car, turned on the heat, pulled a scratchy wool blanket out of the trunk, and poured me some coffee from his thermos.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Whenever it gets too cold, I always turn on the heat in my apartment.

Synonyms

to switch on
vsto turn on the heat
32 1.6

To make a device like a light start working by pressing a button or moving a switch

is specific to starting a building or vehicle heating system

Antonyms

to turn off
631 1.3

To stop a machine or device from working with a switch

How Warm

to turn on the heat
4 2.0
to turn off
631 1.3

Surface Forms

turn on the heat infinitive
turned on the heat past
turned on the heat past participle
turning on the heat present participle
turns on the heat third person singular

Morphology

turn + on + the + heat

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'turn on' conveys activating/powering (on = active) and 'heat' denotes the heating system, so a learner who knows the parts can derive 'activate the heating system'. The verb+particle+noun pattern is common and cross-linguistically paralleled, making the meaning predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Turn on the heat comes from the simple image of someone moving a switch or knob to start a heater so the room gets warm. That's why turn on and heat mean 'to activate the heating system' and make a place warm.