wash-house

wash-house

A woman carries a basket of laundry into the wash-house.

Definition

Noun: A "wash-house" is a building or room, often separate from a main house, that is specifically used for doing laundry (washing clothes, linens, etc.). It typically contains facilities such as sinks, tubs, or washing machines.

Usage Examples
  • (A separate building for laundry.)
  • (A dedicated space for washing clothes.)
  • (A room or building for laundry tasks.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to be in the wash-house": to be located or working in the laundry area.
    • The maid spent the morning in the wash-house, scrubbing the sheets. (Working in the laundry building.)
  • "wash-house duties": chores or tasks related to laundry.
    • The family divided the wash-house duties among the children. (Laundry responsibilities.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Washhouse (n): a variant spelling of "wash-house" (often used as a single word, especially in British English).
    • They converted the old washhouse into a guest room. (The laundry building.)
  • Washing-house (n): an older or less common variant meaning the same thing.
    • The washing-house was equipped with large copper boilers. (A laundry building.)
Synonyms
  • Laundry room: a room in a house or building for washing clothes.
    • The laundry room is next to the kitchen. (A modern equivalent.)
  • Laundry: a place where clothes are washed and ironed.
    • She took the basket to the laundry. (A general term for a washing area.)
  • Scullery: a room for washing dishes and doing rough kitchen work, sometimes including laundry in historical contexts.
    • The scullery also housed the wash-house tubs. (A related domestic workspace.)
Related Idioms
  • (No common idioms directly use "wash-house," as it is a specific, functional term.)