to turn up the heat
26
4.2
- phrasal verb
:
aumentar la presión
- If we want to win, we need to turn up the heat on our competitors and push harder in our marketing efforts.
- want to turn up the heat
- time to turn up the heat
- start to turn up the heat
So, So what is it you've seen people do to turn up the heat to take things to the next level?
- So, So what is it you've seen people do to turn up the heat to take things to the next level?
- And my biggest worry is that this will be definitely used as an excuse by the authority to turn up the heat again.
Examples
-
Congressional committees are turning up the heat.
Academic text (2002) -
You want to turn up the heat?
Fiction book (2000) -
And my biggest worry is that this will be definitely used as an excuse by the authority to turn up the heat again.
-
I think it's time to turn up the heat a little.
-
Could we turn up the heat in here?
-
I gotta turn up the heat a little bit though.
-
Mind if I turn up the heat?
-
Well, we can turn up the heat if you like.
-
Joshua, it's time we turned up the heat.
-
Time to turn up the heat on Mr. Cozier.
Synonyms
220
5.5
To become larger, more serious, or more intense
177
4.3
To make feelings, arguments or actions stronger
110
4.0
Make something stronger or more intense
76
4.1
To make a feeling, effect or situation stronger
74
3.4
Make something greater in amount, speed or strength
57
3.4
To become more intense or make a situation more intense
47
4.1
To increase something, especially its amount or speed
39
3.8
To increase the level or strength of something, for example volume, production
39
3.9
To make prices rise to a higher level, often quickly
23
3.4
To raise prices or amounts by a lot
18
6.7
To increase something slowly until it becomes hard to reduce
9
7.0
To raise the level of risk or what people expect
9
1.3
Make an amount or level higher
7
6.7
To make someone want to work harder and faster
1
6.0
To use influence to persuade someone to do something
1
5.4
To add fuel to a fire or make energy and excitement stronger
1
3.9
To try to make someone change what they do by making them feel more stress
1
4.4
To give someone more stress to make them change their mind
1
4.6
To make something faster or more active
1
7.5
To put more pressure on someone so they do what you want
1
7.7
To become more active or exciting in a situation
To increase something to its highest or most extreme level
Antonyms
How Intense
- Offensive
91
6.4
26
4.2
285
3.9
591
3.2
∞
1.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'turn' + 'up' clearly convey the idea of raising or increasing, and 'heat' evokes intensity, so a learner who knows the words can infer an increase in intensity. However, the use of 'heat' to mean applied pressure or urgency (to force action) is a metaphorical extension and not fully predictable from the literal words, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Turn up the heat comes from the simple image of turning a heater or stove control; when you turn up the heat, the room gets hotter and the pressure builds. That's why it now means 'to increase pressure or urgency' on someone or something to make them act.