furnace

From Middle English forneys, borrowed from Old French fornais (French fournaise), from Latin fornāx.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɝnɪs/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɜːnɪs/

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furnace (plural furnaces)

1. (Britain) An industrial heating device, e.g. for smelting metal or baking ceramics.
2. (US, Canada) A device that provides heat for a building; a space heater.
3. (colloquial) Any area that is excessively hot.
4. (figuratively) A place or time of punishment, affliction, or great trial; severe experience or discipline.
   • c. 1530, William Tyndale, Tyndale Bible, Deuteronomy 4:20:

     For the Lorde toke you and broughte you out of the yernen fornace of Egipte, to be vnto him a people of enheritaunce, as it is come to passe this daye.

furnace (third-person singular simple present furnaces, present participle furnacing, simple past and past participle furnaced)

1. To heat in a furnace.
2. To exhale like a furnace.

• Fraunce