Definition

Noun: A fixed bowl or receptacle, typically with taps and a drain, used for washing one's hands and face. This term is primarily used in British English.

Usage

The term "wash-hand basin" specifically refers to the plumbing fixture. It is a formal and somewhat dated British term. In modern usage, especially in everyday conversation, simpler terms like "basin" or "sink" are more common, though "sink" can also refer to a larger fixture used for washing dishes.

Examples

• Please rinse your brush in the wash-hand basin.
• The bathroom was fitted with a Victorian-style wash-hand basin.
• He turned on the tap at the wash-hand basin to wash his hands.

Advanced Usage

• The term is a compound noun where "wash-hand" functions as an adjective modifying "basin," explicitly stating its purpose. This construction is characteristic of older or very precise technical/architectural language.

Variants and Related Words

• Basin (n.): A more general and common term for the same fixture.
• Sink (n.): A broader term that can refer to a basin used for washing hands, dishes, or other purposes. In a kitchen context, "sink" is almost exclusively used.
• Lavatory basin (n.): A more formal synonym, also common in British English.
• Hand basin (n.): A slightly shortened, more modern variant of "wash-hand basin."

Synonyms

• Basin
• Sink (in a bathroom context)
• Lavatory basin
• Washbasin

Notes on Meaning

The meaning is very specific and does not have significant variations. It denotes the object itself and does not carry idiomatic or figurative meanings. Its use is almost entirely confined to describing bathroom or cloakroom fixtures.

Noun

1. a basin for washing the hands (`wash-hand basin' is a British expression)