washerwoman

/'wɔʃə'wumən/ Cách viết khác : (washwoman) /'wɔʃ,wumən/

Thân thiện

A washerwoman hangs clean laundry on a clothesline in the sunny backyard.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A woman whose job is to wash clothes, especially for other people: A washerwoman is a female worker who earns money by washing laundry, typically taking in washing from clients.

Usage

• The word "washerwoman" specifically denotes a female person engaged in the occupation of laundering clothes. It is a compound noun formed from "wash" + "er" + "woman". It is considered a somewhat dated or historical term, as modern equivalents like "laundry worker" are more common.

Examples

• In the 19th century, many washerwomen worked by the river, using stones to beat the dirt from clothes.
• She supported her family by working as a washerwoman for the wealthy households in town.

Advanced Usage

• The term can appear in historical contexts, literature, or discussions about traditional occupations and gender roles.
• "To work like a washerwoman": An informal simile implying very hard, physically demanding labor.
  • After cleaning the entire house, I felt like I had worked like a washerwoman.

Variants and Related Words

• Washerman (n): The male equivalent; a man whose job is to wash clothes.
• Laundress (n): A synonym for washerwoman, also a woman who washes clothes, especially professionally.
• Laundry worker (n): A modern, gender-neutral term for a person who works in a laundry service.

Synonyms

• Laundress
• Laundrywoman
• Washwoman

Antonyms

• There is no direct antonym, but terms for unrelated professions (e.g., tailor, cook) serve as contextual opposites.

Related Phrases

• Take in washing: A phrasal verb meaning to accept laundry from others to wash for payment. This is the action performed by a washerwoman.
  • To make ends meet, she began to take in washing from her neighbors.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a working woman who takes in washing

Từ đồng nghĩa

• washwoman
• laundrywoman
• laundress