ash

Meaning

Noun

1. The solid remains of a fire.
2. The nonaqueous remains of a material subjected to any complete oxidation process.
3. Fine particles from a volcano, volcanic ash.
4. Human (or animal) remains after cremation.
5. Mortal remains in general.
6. What remains after a catastrophe.
7. A gray colour, like that of ash.

Verb

1. To reduce to a residue of ash. See ashing.
2. To hit the end off of a burning cigar or cigarette.
3. To hit the end off (a burning cigar or cigarette).
4. (obsolete) To cover newly-sown fields of crops with ashes.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/æʃ/

Etymology

From Middle English asshe, from Old English æsċe, from Proto-West Germanic *askā, from Proto-Germanic *askǭ (compare West Frisian jiske, Dutch as, Low German Asch, German Asche, Danish aske, Swedish aska, Norwegian aske), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eHs-; see it for cognates.
The rare plural axen is from Middle English axen, axnen, from Old English axan, asċan (“ashes”) (plural of Old English axe, æsċe (“ash”)).