▪ I. hearthstone, n.
(ˈhɑːθstəʊn)
1. The flat stone forming the hearth; a variety of stone used for this purpose. Also put symbolically for the fireside or home.
| c 1325 Gloss. W. de Biblesw. in Wright Voc. 170 Hastre, the hert-ston. c 1475 Pict. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 779/9 Hoc focarium, a hartstone. a 1491 J. Ross Hist. Reg. Angl. (1716) 130 Locum antiquæ prophetiæ..The hare shall kendyll on the harthstone. 1634–5 Brereton Trav. (Chetham Soc.) 22 Adorned with such stones a yard and dim. high, as are our best hearthstones in England. 1725 Ramsay Gent. Sheph. i. ii. Song 5, A bleezing ingle and a clean hearth-stane. 1821 Byron Juan iii. cvii, Whate'er of peace about our hearth⁓stone clings. 1847 Emerson Poems, Good-Bye 15, I am going to my own hearth-stone. |
2. A soft kind of stone used to whiten hearths, door-steps, etc.; a composition of powdered stone and pipeclay used for this purpose.
| 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 27/1 The hearthstone⁓barrow, piled up with hearth-stone, Bath-brick, and lumps of whiting. 1896 Daily News 9 Sept. 7 Those who mined for what London housekeepers know as ‘hearthstone’. |
3. Comb., as hearthstone-maker, hearthstone-seller, hearthstone-woman.
| 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Hearth-stone Maker. |
▪ II. ˈhearthstone, v.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To whiten with hearthstone. Also absol.
| 1840 P. Parley's Ann. I. 151 Mosette..with her wet feet left many black marks in the hearth-stoned kitchen. 1887 M. E. Braddon Like & Unlike III. xiv. 255 He..washed and hearth-stoned steps and window sills. |