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crucible

cru·ci·ble [ krssəb'l ] (plural cru·ci·bles)

noun

Definition:

1. metallurgy container for melting something: a heat-resistant container in which ores or metals are melted

2. metallurgy bottom of furnace: the hollow part at the bottom of a furnace where molten metal collects

3. testing circumstances: a place or set of circumstances where people or things are subjected to forces that test them and often make them change

4. ordeal: a severe trial or ordeal

[15th century. < medieval Latin crucibulum "nightlight, crucible"]

Cultural Note


	The Crucible, a play (1953) by Arthur Miller. Intended as a metaphor for the "un-American" McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, the play is set in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 and describes how the social fabric of a small town is ripped apart when a group of young girls starts to denounce townsfolk as witches. It was made into a movie by Nicholas Hytner in 1996.

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