furnace

3 definitions • 3 examples

a container that is heated to a very high temperature, so that substances that are put inside it, such as metal, will melt or burn:

People who work with furnaces in a steel factory need to wear protective clothing.

like a furnace This room's like a furnace (= is very hot)!

a piece of equipment for heating a building:

It's cold in here - should I turn on the furnace?

a container for holding burning substances, usually to heat buildings or to melt metals and other materials