ash /æʃ/ BrE AmE noun
[ Sense 1-2: Language: Old English ; Origin: asce ]
[ Sense 3: Language: Old English ; Origin: æsc ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] the soft grey powder that remains after something has been burned:
cigarette ash
The house burnt to ashes.
2 . ashes [plural]
a) the ash that remains when a dead person’s body is burned:
His ashes were scattered at sea.
b) a situation in which something is completely destroyed:
The organization has risen from the ashes to become very successful.
All her hopes and dreams had turned to ashes.
3 . [uncountable and countable] a tree that is common in Britain and North America, or the wood from this tree