furnace

American  

[fur-nis] / ˈfɜr nɪs /

noun

1. a structure or apparatus in which heat may be generated, as for heating houses, smelting ores, or producing steam.

2. a place characterized by intense heat.

   The volcano was a seething furnace.

3. Astronomy. Furnace, the constellation Fornax.

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verb (used with object)

furnaced, furnacing

1. to heat (a metal piece) in a furnace.

furnace British  

/ ˈfɜːnɪs /

noun

1. an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to generate steam, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc

2. a very hot or stifling place

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Other Word Forms

• furnace-like adjective
• furnacelike adjective

Etymology

Origin of furnace

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English furneis, furnais, from Old French fornais, fournais, from Latin fornāc- (stem of fornāx “kiln, oven”), akin to formus “warm”

Example Sentences

The loss was driven by the tariff costs and lower shipments of steel, as well as the company’s accelerated transition toward making its steel using electric arc furnaces, Algoma said.

From The Wall Street Journal

And sometimes there has been a higher purpose to these arguments: occasionally, from the white-hot furnace of debate, truth can emerge.

From BBC

A large furnace and bellows were set up at the far end of the room, complete with stacks of horseshoes and bits of iron.

From Literature

They can do double-duty as both home heaters and AC units and are pretty good at maintaining a constant temperature inside a home without the blast-then-cool-off cycle typical of a furnace.

From Los Angeles Times

What better way to spend it than in the furnace of the Old Firm.

From BBC

Related Words

• boiler
• heater
• heating system
• incinerator
• kiln
• stove