A metal pan or container beneath a fireplace or stove designed to collect and hold ash that falls through the grate.
Compound of ash (Old English æsce, from Proto-Germanic *askǭ) and pan (Old English panne, from Latin patina meaning 'plate'). The term emerged in Middle English as household heating became more common and standardized.
Before modern vacuum cleaners, emptying the ashpan was a daily chore in virtually every home—ash removal was so important that Victorian housemaids had specific ashpan techniques to minimize dust clouds!
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