noun

hotbed

hotbed, seedbed

The city was a hotbed of political unrest.

The city was a hotbed of political unrest.

Gardeners use a hotbed to grow seedlings.

Gardeners use a hotbed to grow seedlings.

a hotbed of ((sth.)) a place where a lot of (sth.) happens The area is a hotbed of crime.

Synonyms: breeding ground, nursery, cradle

From 'hot' + 'bed'. Originally a bed of earth heated for growing plants.

Imagine a bed that's so 'hot' with activity that things (often bad things) grow very quickly.

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