ash
1[ ash ]
/ æʃ /
noun
the powdery residue of matter that remains after burning.
Also called volcanic ash. Geology. finely pulverized lava thrown out by a volcano in eruption.
a light, silvery-gray color.
ashes,
- deathlike grayness; extreme pallor suggestive of death.
- ruins, especially the residue of something destroyed; remains; vestiges: the ashes of their love; the ashes of the past.
- mortal remains, especially the physical or corporeal body as liable to decay.
- anything, as an act, gesture, speech, or feeling, that is symbolic of penance, regret, remorse, or the like.
Nearby words
Origin of ash
1before 950; Middle English a(i)sshe, Old English asce, æsce; cognate with Frisian esk, Dutch asch, Old Norse, Old High German aska (German Asche), Gothic azgo < Germanic *askōn- (with Goth unexplained); akin to Latin ārēre be dry (see arid), Tocharian ās- get dry, Sanskrit ā́sa- ashes, Hittite hassi on the hearth; < Indo-European *HaHs-
Related forms
ash·i·ness, nounash·less, adjectiveDefinition for ash (2 of 2)
ash
2[ ash ]
/ æʃ /
noun
any of various trees of the genus Fraxinus, of the olive family, especially F. excelsior, of Europe and Asia, or F. americana (white ash), of North America, having opposite, pinnate leaves and purplish flowers in small clusters.
the tough, straight-grained wood of any of these trees, valued as timber.
Also æsc. the symbol “æ.”
Origin of ash
2before 900; Middle English asshe, Old English æsc; cognate with Frisian esk, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch asch, Old Saxon, Old High German asc (German Esche, with altered vowel from the adj. derivative eschen, Middle High German eschîn), Old Norse askr; akin to Latin ornus, Welsh onnen, Russian yásenʾ, Czech jasan, Lithuanian úosis, Armenian hatsʰi; Albanian ah beech; < Indo-European *Hoes-
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for ash
British Dictionary definitions for ash (1 of 4)
ash
1/ (æʃ) /
noun
the nonvolatile products and residue formed when matter is burnt
any of certain compounds formed by burningSee soda ash
fine particles of lava thrown out by an erupting volcano
a light silvery grey colour, often with a brownish tinge
See also ashes
Related forms
Related adjective: cinereousWord Origin for ash
Old English æsce; related to Old Norse, Old High German aska, Gothic azgō, Latin aridus dry
British Dictionary definitions for ash (2 of 4)
ash
2/ (æʃ) /
noun
any oleaceous tree of the genus Fraxinus, esp F. excelsior of Europe and Asia, having compound leaves, clusters of small greenish flowers, and winged seeds
the close-grained durable wood of any of these trees, used for tool handles, etc
any of several trees resembling the ash, such as the mountain ash
Australian any of several Australian trees resembling the ash, esp of the eucalyptus genus
Word Origin for ash
Old English æsc; related to Old Norse askr, Old Saxon, Old High German ask, Lithuanian uosis
British Dictionary definitions for ash (3 of 4)
ash
3/ (æʃ) /
noun
the digraph æ, as in Old English, representing a front vowel approximately like that of the a in Modern English hat. The character is also used to represent this sound in the International Phonetic Alphabet
British Dictionary definitions for ash (4 of 4)
ASH
/ (æʃ) /
n acronym for (in Britain)
Action on Smoking and Health
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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