hotbed

hotbed
a) 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. A hotbed works as a miniature hothouse, i.e. greenhouse.
b) an environment that is ideal for the growth or development of something, especially of something undesirable

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  • Hotbed — can mean:* Hotbed (economics) A hotbed is an environment conducive to rapid growth or development. Colloquially, it is often heard in the phrase, a hotbed of activity. The term has varying, specific meanings in diverse fields, such as economics… …   Wikipedia

  • Hotbed — Hot bed , n. 1. (Gardening) A bed of earth heated by fermenting manure or other substances, and covered with glass, intended for raising early plants, or for nourishing exotics. [1913 Webster] 2. A place which favors rapid growth or development;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hotbed — 1620s, from HOT (Cf. hot) + BED (Cf. bed); originally bed of earth heated by fermenting manure for forcing growing plants; generalized sense of place that fosters rapid growth is from 1768 …   Etymology dictionary

  • hotbed — ► NOUN 1) a bed of earth heated by fermenting manure, for raising or forcing plants. 2) an environment promoting the growth of an activity or trend …   English terms dictionary

  • hotbed — [hät′bed΄] n. 1. a bed of earth covered with glass and heated by manure, electricity, etc. for forcing plants 2. any place that fosters rapid growth or extensive activity …   English World dictionary

  • hotbed — UK [ˈhɒtˌbed] / US [ˈhɑtˌbed] noun [countable] Word forms hotbed : singular hotbed plural hotbeds a place where there are a lot of people involved in a particular activity a hotbed of invention/genius/crime …   English dictionary

  • hotbed — hot|bed [ˈhɔtbed US ˈha:t ] n be a hotbed of sth a place where a lot of a particular type of activity, especially bad or violent activity, happens ▪ the university was a hotbed of radical protest …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • hotbed — [[t]hɒ̱tbed[/t]] hotbeds N COUNT: with supp, usu N of n (emphasis) If you say that somewhere is a hotbed of an undesirable activity, you are emphasizing that a lot of the activity is going on there or being started there. ...a state now known… …   English dictionary

  • hotbed — noun be a hotbed of a place where a lot a particular kind of activity, especially bad or violent activity, happens: Bavaria was a hotbed of extremist politics in the 20s and 30s …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • hotbed — /ˈhɒtbɛd / (say hotbed) noun 1. a bed of earth, heated by fermenting manure, etc., and usually covered with glass, for growing plants out of season. 2. a place favouring rapid growth, especially of something bad: *Offices are a hotbed of sexual… …  

  • hotbed — noun Date: 1626 1. a bed of soil enclosed in glass, heated especially by fermenting manure, and used for forcing or for raising seedlings 2. an environment that favors rapid growth or development < a hotbed of activity > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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