[fur-nis] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, -naced, -nac·ing. | 1. | a structure or apparatus in which heat may be generated, as for heating houses, smelting ores, or producing steam. |
| 2. | a place characterized by intense heat: The volcano was a seething furnace. |
| 3. | (initial capital letter) Astronomy. the constellation Fornax. |
| 4. | to heat (a metal piece) in a furnace. |
] —Related forms
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
| fur·nace
(fûr'nĭs) Pronunciation Key
n.
[Middle English, from Old French fornais, from Latin fornāx, fornāc-, oven; see gwher- in Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
furnace
| furnace | |
noun | |
| an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc. |
Franklin Furnace, OH (CDP, FIPS 28532) Location: 38.60795 N, 82.84650 W
Population (1990): 1212 (466 housing units)
Area: 6.2 sq km (land), 0.9 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 45629
Lemont Furnace, PA Zip code(s): 15456
Rockhill Furnace, PA (borough, FIPS 65496) Location: 40.24201 N, 77.90068 W
Population (1990): 421 (185 housing units)
Area: 0.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Furnace
Fur"nace\, n. [OE. fornais, forneis, OF. fornaise, F. fournaise, from L. fornax; akin to furnus oven, and prob. to E. forceps.]1. An inclosed place in which heat is produced by the combustion of fuel, as for reducing ores or melting metals, for warming a house, for baking pottery, etc.; as, an iron furnace; a hot-air furnace; a glass furnace; a boiler furnace, etc. Note: Furnaces are classified as wind or air. furnaces when the fire is urged only by the natural draught; as blast furnaces, when the fire is urged by the injection artificially of a forcible current of air; and as reverberatory furnaces, when the flame, in passing to the chimney, is thrown down by a low arched roof upon the materials operated upon. 2. A place or time of punishment, affiction, or great trial; severe experience or discipline. --Deut. iv. 20. Bustamente furnace, a shaft furnace for roasting quicksilver ores. Furnace bridge, Same as Bridge wall. See Bridge, n., 5. Furnace cadmiam or cadmia, the oxide of zinc which accumulates in the chimneys of furnaces smelting zinciferous ores. --Raymond. Furnace hoist (Iron Manuf.), a lift for raising ore, coal, etc., to the mouth of a blast furnace.
Furnace
Fur"nace\, n. 1. To throw out, or exhale, as from a furnace; also, to put into a furnace. [Obs. or R.] He furnaces The thick sighe from him. --Shak.
Furnace
(1.) Chald. attun, a large furnace with a wide open mouth, at the top of which materials were cast in (Dan. 3:22, 23; comp. Jer. 29:22). This furnace would be in constant requisition, for the Babylonians disposed of their dead by cremation, as did also the Accadians who invaded Mesopotamia. (2.) Heb. kibshan, a smelting furnace (Gen. 19:28), also a lime-kiln (Isa. 33:12; Amos 2:1). (3.) Heb. kur, a refining furnace (Prov. 17:3; 27:21; Ezek. 22:18). (4.) Heb. alil, a crucible; only used in Ps. 12:6. (5.) Heb. tannur, oven for baking bread (Gen. 15:17; Isa. 31:9; Neh. 3:11). It was a large pot, narrowing towards the top. When it was heated by a fire made within, the dough was spread over the heated surface, and thus was baked. "A smoking furnace and a burning lamp" (Gen. 15:17), the symbol of the presence of the Almighty, passed between the divided pieces of Abraham's sacrifice in ratification of the covenant God made with him. (See OVEN.) (6.) Gr. kamnos, a furnace, kiln, or oven (Matt. 13:42, 50; Rev. 1:15; 9:2).
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