ashes

¹

/ ˈæʃɪz /

plural noun

1. ruins or remains, as after destruction or burning

   the city was left in ashes

2. the remains of a human body after cremation

Ashes

²

/ ˈæʃɪz /

plural noun

1. the Ashes
   the Ashes a cremated cricket stump in a pottery urn now preserved at Lord's. Victory or defeat in test matches between England and Australia is referred to as winning, losing, or retaining the Ashes

Word History and Origins

Origin of ashes¹

from the mock obituary of English cricket in The Times in 1882 after a great Australian victory at the Oval, in which it was said that the body would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia

Example Sentences

Warm milk mixed with a spoonful of fireplace ashes seemed to also be popular among 19th century England.

From The Daily Beast

“At one point they were going to perform a burial ceremony with the ashes,” he says.

From The Daily Beast

In the not-so-distant future, an independent country, which belongs to Kurds, will rise from these wants, pains, fire and ashes.

From The Daily Beast

Ashes & Fire, a pleasant, folky, water-treading effort, followed in 2011.

From The Daily Beast

The Oberhausen aquarium erected a memorial of the psychic octopus with a golden urn containing his ashes.

From The Daily Beast

He thrust the Cardinal's mantle into it, and stood over the smouldering cloth, till the whole was consumed to ashes.

From Project Gutenberg

The Seneschal stood with blanched face and gaping mouth, his fire all turned to ashes before the passion of this gaunt man.

From Project Gutenberg

Bridgewater, Mass., invaded by the Indian enemy, and 17 buildings laid in ashes.

From Project Gutenberg

He stirred the smoldering ashes till the broiled fowl began to sizzle afresh.

From Project Gutenberg

The boy took a piece of wood and covered it with a paste made of ashes and oil.

From Project Gutenberg