Furnace

(45), n. [Fr. fournaise, Pr. fornatz, O. Sp. fornaz, N. Sp. hornaza, It. fornace, Lat. fornax.]

1Sense 1. An inclosed place where a hot fire is maintained, as for melting ores or metals, for warming a house, for baking bread or pottery, or for other useful purposes; as an iron furnace; a hot-air furnace; a glass furnace, an engine furnace, and the like.

☞ Furnaces are classified as wind or air furnaces when the fire is urged only by the natural draught, as blast furnaces when by the injection artificially of a forcible current of air, as reverberatory furnaces when the flame, in passing to the chimney, is thrown down by a low arched roof upon the materials operated upon.

2Sense 2. Any place or time of severe torture; affliction; sore trial.