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firebox

American  
[fahyuhr-boks] / ˈfaɪərˌbɒks /

noun

  1. the box or chamber containing the fire of a steam boiler, furnace, etc.

  2. the furnace of a locomotive, where coal, oil, or other fuel is burned to generate steam.

  3. a box or panel with a device for notifying the fire station of an outbreak of fire.

  4. Obsolete. a tinderbox.


firebox British  
/ ˈfaɪəˌbɒks /

noun

  1. the furnace chamber of a boiler in a steam locomotive

  2. an obsolete word for tinderbox

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of firebox

First recorded in 1545–55; fire + box 1


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:

When you dive into the documents, you’ll discover that the shape of the firebox is critical.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2023

Your mason may build the firebox correctly and yet your fireplace still smokes.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2023

The hitching rack, hewn-log tables, campfire ring and firebox all were gone as well.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2022

Dimensions in kits for mantels and columns start outside the surround, not the firebox, although that’s not always clear in the illustrations that accompany online offerings.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 11, 2022

The stove was cold, so I twisted a length of grocery paper into a wick and coiled it in the firebox.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

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