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Word

ash

noun C1
/ˈæʃ/

Meanings

noun

the soft gray powder left after something has burned

ash: the soft gray powder left after something has burned
noun

fine particles from a volcano that fall through the air and cover surfaces

ash: fine particles from a volcano that fall through the air and cover surfaces
noun

a type of deciduous tree with compound leaves

ash: a type of deciduous tree with compound leaves

Definition

Ash is the soft gray powder left after something has burned.

Ash is the powdery gray material that remains after wood, paper, or other materials are burned. It can also refer to the fine particles produced by volcanic eruptions that fall from the air. In everyday English, it is most often used for the residue in a fireplace, grill, or after a fire. The word can be used as a mass noun (some ash) or, in some contexts, as a countable noun (ashes).

Examples

  • I brushed the ash off my jacket after I leaned too close to the fire pit.
  • You could see ash drifting across the road, so you turned the car around before visibility got worse.
  • He emptied the ash from the grill only after it had cooled completely overnight.
  • She watched a thin layer of ash settle on the windowsill while the sky stayed an eerie gray.
  • They tracked ash into the hallway, so they left their shoes outside and swept the floor.

Common mistake

Learners often treat ash as countable and say "an ash" instead of "some ash" (or "ashes" when referring to remains).

More at C1 level

More nouns