hotbed en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈhɒt.bɛd/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *keHy- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *-dʰh₁eti Proto-Indo-European *-dʰeti Proto-Indo-European *kéHidʰeti Proto-Indo-European *kéHidos Proto-Germanic *haitaz Proto-West Germanic *hait Old English hāt Middle English hot English hot Proto-Germanic *badją Proto-West Germanic *badi Old English bedd Middle English bed English bed English hotbed From hot + bed.
Meanings
-
A low bed of earth covered with glass, and heated with rotting manure, used for the germination of seeds and the growth of tender plants, like a miniature hothouse.
Near-synonym: hotbox
Tomato seedlings will be ready to transplant from the hotbed to the coldframe in 12 to 18 days after sowing the seed, depending upon the amount of sunshine and the care given the bed.
1924, Erval Jackson Newcomer, M. A. Yothers, Warren Draper Whitcomb, Control of the Codling Moth in the Pacific Northwest, page 11:
-
(broadly) An environment that is ideal for the growth or development of something, especially of something undesirable.
The problem faced by Government and railway alike is the dreadful legacy of the 'stay home' policy which has left millions of people fearing that trains are a hotbed of infection to be avoided like the... well, do I have to say it?!
2020 August 12, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Rail at the brink? Not yet...”, in Rail, page 3:In particular, Kumamoto prefecture in southwestern Japan is quickly becoming a hotbed for tech investment from companies including TSMC and Fujifilm Holdings Corp (FUJIF).
2023 May 18, Reuters, “Chipmakers look to Japan as worries about China grow”, in CNN Business:
- An iron platform in a rolling mill, on which hot bars, rails, etc., are laid to cool.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hotbeds | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (40)
sh nispet (low bed of earth covered with glass) · ko 온상 (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · da varmebed (low bed of earth covered with glass) · sh leglo (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · sv drivbänk (low bed of earth covered with glass) · bg разсадник (low bed of earth covered with glass) · de Tummelplatz (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · sh topla gredica (low bed of earth covered with glass) · pl zarzewie (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · es semillero (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · es terreno abonado (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · ar بُؤْرَة (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · de Hort (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · nl broeinest (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · hu melegágy (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · ja 温床 (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · ru расса́дник (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · pl płyta chłodząca (platform in rolling mill) · pt antro (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · fi kasvilava (low bed of earth covered with glass) · pl inspekt (low bed of earth covered with glass) · da drivbænk (low bed of earth covered with glass) · hu melegágy (low bed of earth covered with glass) · es caldo de cultivo (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · es hervidero (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · bg огнище (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · pl siedlisko (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · de Brutstätte (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · de Nährboden (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · pl wylęgarnia (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · de Treibbeet (low bed of earth covered with glass) · fi pesä (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · cmn 溫床 /温床 (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · fr nid (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · ru парни́к (low bed of earth covered with glass) · ca fogar (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · cs semeniště (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · nb arnested (place ideal for the growth of something undesirable) · de Frühbeet (low bed of earth covered with glass) · de Mistbeet (low bed of earth covered with glass)