\Hearth\, n. [OE. harthe, herth, herthe, AS. heor?; akin
to D. haard, heerd, Sw. h["a]rd, G. herd; cf. Goth. ha['u]ri
a coal, Icel. hyrr embers, and L. cremare to burn.]
1. The pavement or floor of brick, stone, or metal in a
   chimney, on which a fire is made; the floor of a
   fireplace; also, a corresponding part of a stove.

         There was a fire on the hearth burning before him.
                                               --Jer. xxxvi.
                                               22.

         Where fires thou find'st unraked and hearths
         unswept. There pinch the maids as blue as bilberry.
                                               --Shak.

2. The house itself, as the abode of comfort to its inmates
   and of hospitality to strangers; fireside.

3. (Metal. & Manuf.) The floor of a furnace, on which the
   material to be heated lies, or the lowest part of a
   melting furnace, into which the melted material settles.

{Hearth ends} (Metal.), fragments of lead ore ejected from
   the furnace by the blast.

{Hearth money}, {Hearth penny} [AS. heor[eth]pening], a tax
   formerly laid in England on hearths, each hearth (in all
   houses paying the church and poor rates) being taxed at
   two shillings; -- called also {chimney money}, etc.

         He had been importuned by the common people to
         relieve them from the . . . burden of the hearth
         money.                                --Macaulay.