Hypertext Webster Gateway: "washing"

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)

Washing
(Mark 7:1-9). The Jews, like other Orientals, used their fingers
when taking food, and therefore washed their hands before doing
so, for the sake of cleanliness. Here the reference is to the
ablutions prescribed by tradition, according to which "the
disciples ought to have gone down to the side of the lake,
washed their hands thoroughly, 'rubbing the fist of one hand in
the hollow of the other, then placed the ten finger-tips
together, holding the hands up, so that any surplus water might
flow down to the elbow, and thence to the ground.'" To neglect
to do this had come to be regarded as a great sin, a sin equal
to the breach of any of the ten commandments. Moses had
commanded washings oft, but always for some definite cause; but
the Jews multiplied the legal observance till they formed a
large body of precepts. To such precepts about ceremonial
washing Mark here refers. (See {ABLUTION}.)

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Wash \Wash\ (w[o^]sh), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Washed} (w[o^]sht);
p. pr. & vb. n. {Washing}.] [OE. waschen, AS. wascan; akin to
D. wasschen, G. waschen, OHG. wascan, Icel. & Sw. vaska, Dan.
vaske, and perhaps to E. water. [root]150.]
1. To cleanse by ablution, or dipping or rubbing in water; to
apply water or other liquid to for the purpose of
cleansing; to scrub with water, etc., or as with water;
as, to wash the hands or body; to wash garments; to wash
sheep or wool; to wash the pavement or floor; to wash the
bark of trees.

When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, . . .
he took water and washed his hands before the
multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of
this just person. --Matt. xxvii.
24.

2. To cover with water or any liquid; to wet; to fall on and
moisten; hence, to overflow or dash against; as, waves
wash the shore.

Fresh-blown roses washed with dew. --Milton.

[The landscape] washed with a cold, gray mist.
--Longfellow.

3. To waste or abrade by the force of water in motion; as,
heavy rains wash a road or an embankment.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Washing \Wash"ing\, n.
1. The act of one who washes; the act of cleansing with
water; ablution.

2. The clothes washed, esp. at one time; a wash.

{Washing bear} (Zo["o]l.), the raccoon.

{Washing bottle} (Chem.), a bottle fitted with glass tubes
passing through the cork, so that on blowing into one of
the tubes a stream of water issuing from the other may be
directed upon anything to be washed or rinsed, as a
precipitate upon a filter, etc.

{Washing fluid}, a liquid used as a cleanser, and consisting
usually of alkaline salts resembling soaps in their
action.

{Washing machine}, a machine for washing; specifically, a
machine for washing clothes.

{Washing soda}. (Chem.) See {Sodium carbonate}, under
{Sodium}.

{Washing stuff}, any earthy deposit containing gold enough to
pay for washing it; -- so called among gold miners.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Washing \Wash"ing\, n.
1. (Mining) Gold dust procured by washing; also, a place
where this is done; a washery.

2. A thin covering or coat; as, a washing of silver.

3. (Stock Exchanges) The operation of simultaneously buying
and selling the same stock for the purpose of manipulating
the market. The transaction is fictitious, and is
prohibited by stock-exchange rules.

4. (Pottery) The covering of a piece with an infusible
powder, which prevents it from sticking to its supports,
while receiving the glaze.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

washing
n 1: the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water) [syn: {wash},
{lavation}]
2: garments or white goods that can be cleaned by laundering
[syn: {laundry}, {wash}, {washables}]


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