This is the 9986th most frequent Spanish word.
calentar
To heat or warm up.
In this sentence, 'calentar' is used in the literal sense, meaning 'to heat up' or 'to make warm' regarding objects such as food.
Voy a calentar la comida antes de cenar.
I am going to heat up the food before dinner.
Here, 'calentar' refers to warming up the body or muscles through preparatory movements, an extended figurative sense of getting ready.
Es importante calentar antes de hacer ejercicio.
It's important to warm up before exercising.
In this sentence, 'calentar' is used metaphorically, meaning to intensify or exacerbate emotions or the dynamics of a situation.