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firebed

firebed

8.2
A layer of glowing coals and ash at the bottom of a fire
  • noun
  • /ˈfaɪərˌbɛd/
translation icon : cama de fuego
  • The firebed in the fireplace was still warm from the previous night's fire, with embers glowing beneath the ashes.

Examples

  • Before lighting the campfire, make sure to clear the firebed of any debris to ensure an even burn.

  • He carefully arranged the logs on the firebed to maximize airflow and achieve a better flame.

  • "He showed them how to prep the firebed, removing all unburnable 'clinkers,' he called them; how to separate the 'coke' from the 'green' coal.

    Fiction book (2001)

Surface Forms

firebed singular
firebeds plural

Morphology

firebed = fire + bed (transparent) = fire + bed

A straightforward compound meaning 'the bed (layer) of a fire' (fuel/ashes); the relation between components and sense is direct.

Etymology

Firebed comes from fire + bed, with bed meaning the 'bottom' or 'place' where something sits, as in riverbed. So a firebed is the layer of coals and ash at the bottom of a fire that stays hot and helps the fire burn.