cinder — English Dictionary

Noun

1. Partially or mostly burnt material that results from incomplete combustion of coal or wood etc.; it often rides the rising smoke column into the air, and it can pose a fire hazard when it lands, in dry conditions.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Travellers over the London & North Western main line in bygone days will need no reminder of the pattering of cinders on the carriage roofs, the fountains of sparks from the chimneys at night and the distance from which the exhaust of approaching locomotives could be heard, due to the fierceness of their blast in such conditions.

2. An ember.

   Examples

   If from adown the hopeful chops The fat upon the cinder drops, To stinking smoke it turns the flame, Poisoning the flesh from whence it came

3. Slag from a metal furnace.

4. Any strong stimulant added to tea, soda water, etc.

   Usage

   • Colloquial
   • Dated

   Examples

   Oh, horrid proposition! One would imagine, Tom, that you had been a coal-heaver. Had you said soda and cinder, I would have seconded the motion.

   More examples (1)

   She'd sit by the fire, arms crossed, demanding that Ruby spike her tea with a cinder. But Ruby would never give in to her demands, no matter how much her mam begged. There was no alcohol in the house now; Arthur had made sure of that in an effort to get Mary sober.

Verb

1. To reduce to cinders.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Synonyms

   burn awaycremate

2. To cover with cinders.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   We plan to cinder this path.

Noun

1. a fragment of incombustible matter left after a wood or coal or charcoal fire

   Synonyms

   clinker

   Broader terms

   fragment