Definition

1. Noun:
   • A portable electric appliance for heating or cooking or keeping food warm: A "hotplate" is a small, movable device with one or more flat, heated surfaces, powered by electricity. It is used for cooking food, boiling water, or keeping prepared dishes warm, often as a substitute for a fixed stove.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • We used a hotplate to boil water for tea in the hotel room.
  • The scientist heated the chemical solution on a laboratory hotplate.
  • She kept the soup warm on the hotplate during the party.

Advanced Usage

• "to be on the hotplate": (idiomatic) To be under intense pressure or scrutiny, similar to being "on the hot seat."
  • With the new project deadline, the entire team is on the hotplate.

Variants and Related Words

• Hot plate (n): An alternative spelling, often written as two words.
  • The recipe said to simmer the sauce on a low heat on the hot plate.

Synonyms

• Electric burner: A single heating element, often part of a stove but can be similar to a hotplate.
• Portable stove: A broader term for a small, movable cooking appliance.
• Warmer: A device specifically for keeping food warm, which can be a type of hotplate.

Related Phrases

• Hotplate special: (informal) A dish that is being kept warm or prepared on a hotplate, often in a casual dining setting.
  • The diner's hotplate special today is meatloaf.

Related Idioms

• To have too many pots on the hotplate: To be trying to handle too many tasks or projects at once.
  • He's missing deadlines because he has too many pots on the hotplate.

Noun

1. a portable electric appliance for heating or cooking or keeping food warm