reduce (something) to ashes

:  to draw together or cause to converge :  consolidate

:  to diminish in size, amount, extent, or number

:  to decrease the volume and concentrate the flavor of by boiling

:  some indeterminate or unspecified thing

:  a person or thing of consequence

:  one having more or less the character, qualities, or nature of something different

:  in some degree :  somewhat

: used as an intensive giving adverbial force to an adjective

:  any of a genus (Fraxinus) of trees of the olive family with pinnate leaves, thin furrowed bark, and gray branchlets

:  the tough elastic wood of an ash

:  the ligature æ used in Old English and some phonetic alphabets to represent a low front vowel \a\

:  something that symbolizes grief, repentance, or humiliation

:  the solid residue left when combustible material is thoroughly burned or is oxidized by chemical means

:  fine particles of mineral matter from a volcanic vent

:  to convert into ash