Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
A ritual involving the washing of one's hands at a church's offertory before handling the Eucharist.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: Christianity
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: lavatory
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The small towel used to dry the priest's hands following the ritual.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: Christianity
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A washbasin, particularly (Christianity) the one in a church used in the ritual.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: washbasin
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A trough used for washing at some medieval monasteries.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: architecture
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A lavatory: a room used for urination and defecation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: euphemistic, humorous
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: bathroom, latrine, necessarium, toilet, toilet room, urinal, water closet, WC, cloaca, closet, jacques, kocay, siege, cludgie, neddy, netty, shield, six, facilities, ladies and gentlemen, lavatory, lavabo, necessary, necessary room, office, office of ease, place, potty, privy, small room, smallest room, throne room, cottage, geography, House of Lords, khazi, usual offices, restroom, teahouse, tearoom, washroom, comfort room, CR, closet of decency, closet of ease, house of office, necessary place, purging place, vault, withdraught, wardrobe, shitter, urination station, bog, carsey, crapper, karzy, lats, lav, lavvy, loo, thunderbox, can, john, johnny, bogger, brasco, dike, dunny, jacks, jakes
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a basin for washing the hands (`wash-hand basin' is a British expression)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: washbasin, handbasin, washbowl, wash-hand basin
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: basin
History
From the Christian ritual, which was traditionally accompanied in Catholicism by a recitation of Psalm 25:6 (Psalm 26:6, in the Hebrew and in most modern translations) which in Latin begins with the word lavābō (“I will wash”). The sense of "room with a toilet" developed under the influence of lavatory and lav.
Across languages
6 source translations are retained for this English entry.
