# ash

/ˈæʃ/ (US) · /ˈæʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ash
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. remains of a fire

noun · CEFR A2

the soft, grey or black powder that is left after something has finished burning.

For teachers: the solid, powdery residue remaining after the complete combustion of a substance.

- He carefully brushed the white ash from the fireplace before starting a new fire.
- The volcanic eruption blanketed the surrounding villages in a thick layer of caustic grey ash, grounding all local flights for a week.

### 2. a type of tree

noun · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. cremated remains

noun · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 4. the ae ligature

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

### 5. to remove cigarette residue

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to knock the burnt end off a cigarette or cigar.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The cigarette ash fell onto the carpet.
- After the campfire died down, only a pile of grey ash remained in the stone pit.
- Volcanic ash can remain suspended in the atmosphere for months, reflecting sunlight and potentially causing a temporary drop in global temperatures.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.