ashes Definition
- 1the powdery residue left after the burning of a substance
- 2the remains of a human body after cremation or burning
Using ashes: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "ashes" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The ashes from the fire were scattered across the yard.
Example
She kept her husband's ashes in an urn on the mantel.
Example
The volcano erupted, covering the town in a layer of ash.
ashes Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with ashes
to emerge from a difficult or challenging situation with renewed strength or success
Example
After the company went bankrupt, it was able to rise from the ashes and become profitable again.
a phrase used in funeral services to remind mourners of the inevitability of death and the return of the body to the earth
Example
As the coffin was lowered into the ground, the priest recited 'ashes to ashes, dust to dust.'
Example
The entire building was reduced to ashes in the fire.
Origins of ashes
from Old English 'æsce'
Summary: ashes in Brief
'Ashes' [ˈæʃɪz] refer to the powdery residue left after the burning of a substance, or the remains of a human body after cremation or burning. It is often used in phrases like 'rise from the ashes,' which means to emerge from a difficult situation with renewed strength, and 'ashes to ashes, dust to dust,' which is used in funeral services to remind mourners of the inevitability of death. 'Reduce to ashes' means to completely destroy something by burning it.
