cinder

plural cinders · alternative obsolete sinder

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.

   1 more example

   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.

   1962 June, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Modern Railways, page 399

2. An ember.

   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

   1730, Jonathan Swift, The Lady's Dressing Room

3. Slag from a metal furnace.
4. colloquialdatedAny strong stimulant added to tea, soda water, etc.

   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.

   1846, Catherine Grace Frances Gore, Selected Works, volume 2, page 9

   1 more example

   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.

   2021, Glenda Young, The Miner's Lass

present singular third person cinders · participle present cindering · participle past cindered · past cindered · alternative obsolete sinder

1. transitiveTo reduce to cinders.

   Synonyms: burn away, cremate, burn, burn away, burn down, burn up, burn to a crisp, char up

2. transitiveTo cover with cinders.

   We plan to cinder this path.

1. A river in Alaska.
2. A female given name.