hothouse — [hät′hous΄] n. a building made mainly of glass, artificially heated for growing plants; greenhouse adj. 1. grown in a hothouse 2. needing very careful treatment, as if grown in a hothouse; delicate … English World dictionary
Hothouse — Hot house , n. 1. A house kept warm to shelter tender plants and shrubs from the cold air; a place in which the plants of warmer climates may be reared, and fruits ripened. [1913 Webster] 2. A bagnio, or bathing house. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
hothouse — mid 15c., bath house, from HOT (Cf. hot) + HOUSE (Cf. house). In 17c. a euphemism for brothel (Cf. massage parlor); the meaning glass roofed structure for raising plants is from 1749. Figurative use by 1802 … Etymology dictionary
hothouse — ► NOUN 1) a heated greenhouse. 2) an environment that encourages rapid growth or development. ► VERB ▪ educate (a child) to a higher level than is usual for their age … English terms dictionary
hothouse — I. noun Date: 1511 1. obsolete bordello 2. a greenhouse maintained at a high temperature especially for the culture of tropical plants 3. hotbed 2 II. adjective Date: 1838 1. grown in a hothouse … New Collegiate Dictionary
hothouse — [[t]hɒ̱thaʊs[/t]] hothouses 1) N COUNT A hothouse is a heated building, usually made of glass, in which plants and flowers can be grown. 2) N COUNT: oft N n, N of n You can refer to a situation or place as a hothouse when there is intense… … English dictionary
hothouse — I UK [ˈhɒtˌhaʊs] / US [ˈhɑtˌhaʊs] noun Word forms hothouse : singular hothouse plural hothouses 1) [countable] a building made of glass that is used for growing plants that need a warm temperature 2) [singular] a place where people are put under… … English dictionary
hothouse — noun (C) 1 a heated building, usually made of glass, where flowers and delicate plants can grow compare greenhouse 2 a place or situation where a lot of people are interested in particular ideas or activities: Vienna was a hothouse of artistic… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
hothouse — 1. noun 1) tomatoes grew in the hothouse Syn: greenhouse, conservatory 2) society was becoming a hothouse of narcissism Syn: breeding ground, hotbed, seedbed 2. adjective the school has a hothouse atmosphere Syn … Thesaurus of popular words
hothouse — /hot hows /, n., pl. hothouses / how ziz/, adj. n. 1. an artificially heated greenhouse for the cultivation of tender plants. adj. 2. of, pertaining to, or noting a plant grown in a hothouse, or so fragile as to be capable of being grown only in… … Universalium
