forno
1. An enclosed structure in which material can be heated to very high temperatures, typically used for industrial processes like smelting metal or heating buildings
The steel furnace reached temperatures of over 1,500 degrees Celsius.
O forno de aço atingiu temperaturas acima de 1.500 graus Celsius.
2. A heating system in a building that burns fuel to produce heat distributed through ducts or radiators
We need to have our home furnace serviced before winter.
Precisamos fazer manutenção no forno de casa antes do inverno.
3. Any place or situation of intense heat, activity, or difficulty
The courtroom became a furnace of tension and argument.
A sala do tribunal se tornou um forno de tensão e discussão.
In the USA, home furnaces are central to winter heating, particularly in northern states. In Brazil, furnaces are more commonly associated with industrial processes and cooking, as climate control needs differ. The word 'forno' is used broadly in Portuguese-speaking countries for various heating devices from industrial kilns to kitchen ovens.
NYC Slang
furnace (same); colloquially 'the heat' when referring to intense situations
Related Idioms & Phrases
a furnace of activity - um forno de atividade (a place of intense activity)
to go through the furnace - passar pelo forno (to endure a difficult experience)
furnace-hot - quente como um forno (extremely hot)
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