Dictionary-Definition.com :: Furnace definition

Definition of 'furnace'

noun

An enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.

From: GCIDE

Furnace \Fur"nace\, n. [OE. fornais, forneis, OF. fornaise, F. fournaise, from L. fornax; akin to furnus oven, and prob. to E. forceps.]
1. An inclosed place in which heat is produced by the combustion of fuel, as for reducing ores or melting metals, for warming a house, for baking pottery, etc.; as, an iron furnace; a hot-air furnace; a glass furnace; a boiler furnace, etc. [1913 Webster]
Note: Furnaces are classified as wind or air. furnaces when the fire is urged only by the natural draught; as blast furnaces, when the fire is urged by the injection artificially of a forcible current of air; and as reverberatory furnaces, when the flame, in passing to the chimney, is thrown down by a low arched roof upon the materials operated upon. [1913 Webster]
2. A place or time of punishment, affiction, or great trial; severe experience or discipline. --Deut. iv. 20. [1913 Webster]
Bustamente furnace, a shaft furnace for roasting quicksilver ores.
Furnace bridge, Same as Bridge wall. See Bridge, n., 5.
Furnace cadmiam or Furnace cadmia, the oxide of zinc which accumulates in the chimneys of furnaces smelting zinciferous ores. --Raymond.
Furnace hoist (Iron Manuf.), a lift for raising ore, coal, etc., to the mouth of a blast furnace. [1913 Webster]

From: GCIDE

Furnace \Fur"nace\, n.
1. To throw out, or exhale, as from a furnace; also, to put into a furnace. [Obs. or R.] [1913 Webster]
He furnaces The thick sighs from him. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

From: GCIDE

Hydrocarbon \Hy`dro*car"bon\, n. [Hydro-, 2 + carbon.] (Chem.) A compound containing only hydrogen and carbon, as methane, benzene, etc.; also, by extension, any of their derivatives. [1913 Webster]
Hydrocarbon burner, furnace, stove, a burner, furnace, or stove with which liquid fuel, as petroleum, is used. [1913 Webster]

Furnace
Chald. attun, a large furnace with a wide open mouth, at the top of which materials were cast in (Dan. 3:22, 23; comp. Jer. 29:22). This furnace would be in constant requisition, for the Babylonians disposed of their dead by cremation, as did also the Accadians who invaded Mesopotamia.
Heb. kibshan, a smelting furnace (Gen. 19:28), also a lime-kiln (Isa. 33:12; Amos 2:1).
Heb. kur, a refining furnace (Prov. 17:3; 27:21; Ezek. 22:18).
Heb. alil, a crucible; only used in Ps. 12:6.
Heb. tannur, oven for baking bread (Gen. 15:17; Isa. 31:9; Neh. 3:11). It was a large pot, narrowing towards the top. When it was heated by a fire made within, the dough was spread over the heated surface, and thus was baked. "A smoking furnace and a burning lamp" (Gen. 15:17), the symbol of the presence of the Almighty, passed between the divided pieces of Abraham's sacrifice in ratification of the covenant God made with him. (See OVEN.)
Gr. kamnos, a furnace, kiln, or oven (Matt. 13:42, 50; Rev. 1:15; 9:2).