fire-screen

A family gathers around the fireplace with a decorative fire-screen in front of it.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A protective screen: "fire-screen" refers to a piece of furniture, often a decorative panel or mesh, placed in front of a fireplace to protect against heat, sparks, or embers.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She placed a fire-screen in front of the hearth to prevent sparks from landing on the rug. (Protective barrier against fireplace debris.)
  • The antique fire-screen was intricately carved with floral patterns. (Decorative furniture item.)

Advanced Usage

• "fire-screen" as a historical object: In older homes, a fire-screen was a common household item used to shield people and furnishings from the intense heat of an open fire.
  • In Victorian times, a fire-screen was often made of wood, metal, or embroidered fabric.

Variants and Related Words

• Fireplace screen (n): a synonym for fire-screen, often used interchangeably.
  • The fireplace screen was made of wrought iron. (A metal barrier for the fireplace.)
• Fender screen (n): a type of fire-screen that attaches to the fender (low metal guard) of a fireplace.
  • The fender screen kept the logs from rolling out.

Synonyms

• Fireguard: a protective grating or screen placed in front of a fire.
• Spark guard: a screen designed specifically to catch sparks.
• Hearth screen: a screen positioned at the hearth of a fireplace.

Related Idioms

• There are no common idioms using "fire-screen." However, the concept of a "screen" in general appears in idioms like:
  • "Screen from view": to hide or conceal something.

    • The fire-screen screened the flames from the guests. (The screen hid the fire from sight.)