ashes
plural noun
ruins or remains, as after destruction or burning
Showing results for ashes.
Search instead for
drashes.
ashes
1 British
/ ˈæʃɪz /
plural noun
-
ruins or remains, as after destruction or burning
the city was left in ashes
-
the remains of a human body after cremation
Ashes
2
British
/ ˈæʃɪz /
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of Ashes
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
According to charging documents, Marfil admitted to Cal Fire law enforcement “the disposing of hot ashes into a burn pile,” which allegedly ultimately sparked the blaze.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
Prized vinyl records and vintage audio equipment are nothing more than a blank mush, speckled with ashes and broken pieces.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Tommy’s presence helps push Valerie to acknowledge Mickey’s absence and moves her to gently face it, finally scatter his ashes and let him go.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
After Scott, a Vietnam War veteran, died in August 2013 at age 58, Bare scattered his ashes on her property.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
“Those ashes were in the house for days, just sitting there,” Margie recalled.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Smith scored an impressive 61 in England's first innings and has improved his glovework after a poor showing in the Ashes.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
A home Ashes series is less than one year away.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
He was the only member of England's attack to play all five matches in the Ashes series in Australia.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
It follows a tumultuous period which has included the Ashes defeat by Australia, off-field issues, the resignation of Ben Stokes as captain and the sacking of coach Brendon McCullum.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Ashes floated lazy on the breeze like fat grey snowflakes.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
