I. ˈwȯ(ə)rm, ˈwȯ(ə)m adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English wearm; akin to Old High German warm warm, Old Norse varmr, Latin formus warm, Greek thermos hot, Sanskrit gharma heat, Old Prussian gorme
1.
a.
(1) : having or manifesting heat especially to a moderate or pleasurable degree ; usually : not quite hot
the warm , almost the hot carriage — William Sansom
so warm and balmy that the windows were flung open — W.M.Thackeray
(2) : perceptibly above bodily temperature without being painful or harmful
a warm bath
warm soup
b. : having the heat naturally appropriate to a living warm-blooded animal
the body was still warm
c. : sending or giving out heat usually to a comfortable or beneficial degree : producing sensations of heat
a warm radiator
the sunshine was warm
d. : conserving or tending to maintain or preserve heat and especially a satisfactory degree of heat
warm insulation
a warm sweater
e.
(1) : marked by or conducive to sensations of heat brought about by strenuous exertion that when resulting from sport or pleasurable exertion are often accompanied by a glow of well-being
warm after playing tennis
a warm climb
(2) : limber and ready for action after preliminary exercise
rewrite the memorized piece until you feel your hand is warm — C.I.Blanchard & C.E.Zoubek
2.
a. : comfortably established or settled : secure and comfortable
a warm existence in his old age
b. Britain : being in comfortable financial circumstances : rich , well-to-do
3.
a. : marked by strong feeling, passion, or enthusiasm : ardent , zealous
being … of a warm and impetuous nature, responded to their affection with quite a tropical ardor — W.M.Thackeray
expostulated in warm terms — T.B.Macaulay
b. : marked by brisk excitement, lively exchanges, sharp disagreement, hot temper, or anger : not smooth, mild, soothing, or placating
that political campaign, which was a warm and bitter one — P.B.Kyne
continual warm controversy and occasional litigation — R.I.McDavid
4.
a.
(1) : readily showing or reacting to love, affection, fondness, appreciative pleasure, or gratitude : often demonstratively genial, cordial, sympathetic, or affectionate
his seemingly rough exterior covered a warm heart — D.E.Smith
warm with the love of mankind — H.O.Taylor
a wave of genial friendliness flowed from the warm silly hearts of Britons — Rose Macaulay
(2) : accompanied by, giving rise to, or giving the impression of a feeling of love, tenderness, gratitude, well-being, or pleasure
his eyes … met hers with clear, frank, warm regard — Zane Grey
the warm sense of community life — Andrew Phelan
a rich warm voice
revived warm memories of pleasant times
b.
(1) : marked by sexual desire or passion : lewd , lecherous
another lascivious mother and a warm daughter — Elizabeth Hardwick
(2) : emphasizing or exploiting sexual imagery or incidents
difficult to see why this book should have been suppressed before the war; there are no warm passages — Graham Greene
5. : accompanied or marked by extreme danger, duress, or pain
met with such a warm reception that he fled — American Guide Series: Maryland
6.
a. : newly made : still strong : fresh
a warm scent
b. : near to a goal, object, or solution sought
indicative words … show the searcher when he is getting warm — A.J.Ayer
7. : having the color or tone of something (as fire or the sun) that imparts heat ; specifically : of a hue in the range yellow through orange to red
Synonyms: see tender
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English warmen to make warm, become warm; partly from Old English wyrman to make warm; akin to Old High German warmen, wermen to make warm, Old Norse verma, Gothic warmjan; partly from Old English wearmian to become warm; akin to Old High German warmēn to become warm; all from prehistoric Germanic verbs derived from an adjective represented by Old English wearm warm
transitive verb
1.
a. : to make warm : communicate a degree of heat to : supply or furnish warmth to
in front of the fireplace warming himself — Laura Krey
the sun warming the morning air
warm the baby's milk
b. : to provide with a means of maintaining heat
of wine red brocade, warmed with an inner lining of grey squirrel fur — Nora Waln
2.
a. : to infuse with or with the appearance of love, friendship, well-being, or pleasure
a fine expression of personal faith warms the heart of the hearer — William James
warmed by the sense of renewed solidarity with his group — Thomas Munro
a voice … warmed … by fits of genial, deep chuckling — Osbert Sitwell
a barrel of home brew … warmed things up — Roderick Finlayson
b. : to fill with anger, zeal, hatred, or passion
the sense of urgency increasingly warms the words of the man — Waldo Frank
c. : to impart life, color, or zest to
the blood that warms an English yeoman — A.E.Housman
the walls were warmed and adorned with tapestry — G.M.Trevelyan
lime juice, which the gentlemen warmed with a little brandy — Rachel Henning
3. : to open (a house) by an entertainment : give a housewarming in or for
4.
a.
(1) : to reheat (cooked food) for eating — often used with over
bitter coffee warmed over from the night before — George Bradshaw
(2) : to prepare (a meal) by reheating leftovers — often used with over
b. : to revive or reuse especially in a situation where vigor, cogency, or significance is no longer present
warming old feuds for the sake of politics — Dixon Wecter
— usually used with over
his illustrative examples are almost invariably warmed over from other writings — S.L.A.Marshall
5. : to make ready for operation or performance by preliminary exercise or operation
sparks shot down toward the water as a turret gunner warmed his guns — Howard Hunt
men warming their boat motors — G.S.Perry
— often used with up
begin each practice period by warming up your hand — C.I.Blanchard & C.E.Zoubek
intransitive verb
1. : to become warm or warmer in temperature : become moderately heated : grow warm
the earth may be gradually warming — A.E.Benfield
June warmed into July — Josephine Johnson
— sometimes used with up
once the milk is in the can it cools down or warms up very slowly — Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
2.
a. : to become ardent or interested : grow sympathetic, angry, fervent, or impassioned
gaining confidence and warming to his task — John Buchan
many people can only warm up at a party — Vance Packard
whose whole face warmed as she talked — Robert Friedman
his desire for revenge warmed easily into madness — John Erskine †1951
b. : to become filled with affection, love, friendship, or kindliness — used with to or toward
always warmed toward anyone who praised his kids — Ross Annett
3. : to experience feelings of well-being, success, pleasure, or happiness : bask
we warm with pleasure at mere mention of their names — Ralph Ellison
4. : to become ready for operation or performance by preliminary activity or gradual increase in speed or activity
the radio warmed and music came on — William George
— usually used with up
planes on deck ready to warm up and take off — K.M.Dodson
•
- warm the bench
III. adverb
( often -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English warme, from Old English wearme, from wearm warm, adjective
: warmly — usually used in combination
warm -clad
warm -tinted
IV. noun
( -s )
1.
a.
[Middle English, from warm (I) ]
dialect : warmth , heat
b.
[ warm (II) ]
dialect : the act of warming or state of being warmed
2.
[ warm (I) ]
: british warm