A rigorous or crucial appraisal. A severe or crucial test.
Acid-test.

An enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.
Structure in which fuel such as coal, coke, gas, or oil is burned to produce heat for various purposes. Furnaces are used in conjunction with boilers for heating, to produce hot water, or steam for driving turbines —in ships for propulsion and in power stations for generating electricity. The largest furnaces are those used for smelting and refining metals, such as the blast furnace, electric furnace, and open-hearth furnace. + prikaži više