ash

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a common forest tree with silver-grey bark and leaves that grow in pairs.

n. any tree of the genus Fraxinus, known for its tough, elastic wood and pinnate leaves.

“The old ash tree in the garden provided plenty of shade during the summer.”

“The spread of the emerald ash borer has devastated native populations of Fraxinus excelsior across much of the continent.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun

n. the remains of a person's body after it has been burned (cremated).

n. the cremated remains of a human or animal body. Usually plural in this sense.

“The family gathered to scatter his ashes in the mountains he loved.”

“In accordance with her final wishes, her ashes were interred in the family plot beneath the ancient oak.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical

n. the name for the joined letters 'ae' used in Old English writing.

n. the name of the ligature 'æ', representing a specific vowel sound in Old English and modern phonetic transcription.

“The word 'apple' was written with an ash at the start in Old English.”

“The scribe consistently employed the ash ligature to denote the near-open front unrounded vowel in the manuscript's later folios.”

C1 · Advanced Informal

v. to knock the burnt end off a cigarette or cigar.

v. to flick or remove the accumulated burnt residue from the tip of a lit cigarette or cigar.

“She paused to ash her cigarette in the glass tray on the table.”

“He absentmindedly ashed his cigar into the potted plant while listening to the briefing.”