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Synonyms
cru·ci·ble (krōṓsə-bəl)

[Middle English crusible, from Medieval Latin crūcibulum, night-light, crucible, possibly from Old French croisuel, cresset; see cresset.]

noun 

  1. A vessel made of a refractory substance such as graphite or porcelain, used for melting and calcining materials at high temperatures.
  2. A severe test, as of patience or belief; a trial. See synonyms at trial
  3. A place, time, or situation characterized by the confluence of powerful intellectual, social, economic, or political forces: “Macroeconomics . . . was cast in the crucible of the Depression” (Peter Passell)