hotbeds
Centers of activity
Hotbeds are places or situations that foster rapid growth or intense activity, especially of something undesirable: a hotbed of corruption, a hotbed of radical ideas.
The term comes from gardening, where a hotbed is a bed of soil heated by fermenting manure or artificial means to accelerate plant growth.
The figurative sense now dominates: The university became a hotbed of political activism.
Stretched or strained state
- frictionResistance between touching surfaces
- strifeAngry, prolonged conflict
- discordLack of agreement
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
unrest · hostility · agitation · dissent · upheaval · volatility · instability · ferment
Controlled warming enclosure
- nurseryRoom for infants
- spawningReleasing eggs to reproduce
- fertileAble to reproduce abundantly
- cradleRocking bed for infants
hatchery · nurturing · cultivation · proliferation · genesis · origin · source · seedbed
Controlled warming enclosure
- startupsNewly launched businesses
- creativityCapacity for original thought
- entrepreneurshipCreating and managing ventures
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
disruption · ingenuity · pioneering · experimentation · invention · tech hub · venture · Silicon Valley
Public expression of disapproval
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- organizingSystematically putting in order
- radicalismPursuit of sweeping change
revolution · rebellion · agitation · mobilization · grassroots · militancy · uprising · subversion
Disease spread by contact
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
- transmissionSending of information
spread · infestation · contamination · vectors · pathogens · viruses · bacteria · quarantine
tension
Stretched or strained state
turmoil · unrest · hostility · agitation · dissent · upheaval · volatility · instability · ferment · flashpoint
incubator
Controlled warming enclosure
cradle · hatchery · nurturing · cultivation · proliferation · genesis · origin · source · seedbed · crucible
incubator
Controlled warming enclosure
- startupsNewly launched businesses
- creativityCapacity for original thought
- entrepreneurshipCreating and managing ventures
research · disruption · ingenuity · pioneering · experimentation · invention · tech hub · venture · Silicon Valley · biotech
protest
Public expression of disapproval
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- organizingSystematically putting in order
radicalism · revolution · rebellion · agitation · mobilization · grassroots · militancy · uprising · subversion · counterculture
contagion
Disease spread by contact
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
transmission · spread · infestation · contamination · vectors · pathogens · viruses · bacteria · quarantine · exposure
- gardeninggardener, gardening, flowers, seeds, soil
- Conflict ZonesGaza, Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq
- cultivationplanting, propagation, grafting, cuttings, transplanting
- farmingfarm, farms, farmer, farmers, crop
- nurseriesplant nurseries, nursery, plant nursery, nursery stock, tree nursery
- planting methodsdirect sowing, direct seeding, transplanting, sowing, seed starting
hotbedsdead zones
Areas lacking life or signal
backwaters · wastelands · ghost towns · deserts · quiet corners
hotbedsbarren soil
Earth lacking fertility
wastelands · deserts · fallow fields · arid zones · frozen tundra