26984 words

ashes

3 definitions • 8 examples
1
what is left of something after it has been destroyed by fire, especially what is left of a human body after it has been burned:

Examples:

Her ashes were scattered at sea.
Allied bombing left Dresden in ashes in 1945.
be reduced to ashes Hundreds of homes were reduced to ashes in last summer's wildfires.
The entire contents of the archive was turned into ashes.
My mother has gone to collect the ashes of her brother, who died last month.
2
a prize which is given to the winner of a series of games of cricket between Australia and England:

Examples:

Australia need to win the fourth test match to retain the Ashes.
England had not won the Ashes for over a decade.
3
the ash left after a dead body has been cremated (= burned):

Examples:

My grandmother’s ashes were scattered over this lake.

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