hearth

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“
Down in the hearth is a kettle on a lighted spirit-stand.

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Definitions (19)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (5)

  1. noun The floor of a fireplace, usually extending into a room and paved with brick, flagstone, or cement.
  2. noun Family life; the home.
  3. noun Metallurgy The lowest part of a blast furnace or cupola, from which the molten metal flows.
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Examples (50)

  • The tiles of the hearth were already thick with ash. —  Maigret in Exile - Georges Simenon - 42
  • The long curved sword that hung over the hearth was the very sword her father had used to slay the dragons who dared try to snatch England away from the rightful king, and her noble father had died protecting his overlord's life, Tekel would tell her. —  Garwood, Julie - The Secret
  • On the hearth was a pail of water in which swam a huge sponge; and Fanny sat beside the center-table that was piled with her husband’s wearing apparel, holding in her lap a coat which she had evidently been passing under inspection. —  At Fault
  • Another occupant of the hearth was a favourite old cat, which at first, I daresay, looked down on the odd little creature with some contempt, but was too well bred to disturb an invited guest. —  Stories of Animal Sagacity
  • On the hearth was a heap of crusted gray ashes What a lonesome, eerie sort of a place," shivered Helen. —  Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies The Missing Pearl Necklace
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English herth, from Old English heorth; see ker-3 in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Early modern English also harth; from Middle English harth, herth, herthe, from Anglo-Saxon heorth, hearth, fireplace, fire, hence also home or house, = Old Saxon herth = OFries. herth, hirth, herd, hird = Dutch haard = Middle Low German hert, Low German heert, heerd, hearth, = Old High German herd, masculine, herda, feminine, Middle High German hert, hearth, German herd, hearth, crater of a volcano, = Swedish härd (from Low German?), the hearth of a forge, a forge; prob. connected with Gothic (Moesogothic) hauri, a burning coal, plural haurja, burning coals, a fire, = Icelandic hyrr, a fire. Cf. Lithuanian kurti, heat an oven. The Old High German herd, Middle High German hert, ground, earth, German herth, a place where fowlers catch birds, is prob. of different origin, perhaps imported from Old High German erda, earth.
 

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/hɑrθ/
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