washhouse
Definition
Noun: A building or outbuilding specifically used for washing clothes and other laundry.
Usage
A "washhouse" is a dedicated structure, often separate from a main dwelling, containing facilities for laundering. It typically houses washtubs, washboards, boilers, and later, washing machines. This term is historically common, describing facilities from the era before personal, in-home laundry appliances became standard.
Examples
- Noun:
- The old stone washhouse behind the cottage still had its original copper boiler.
- In the 19th century, the communal village washhouse was a central meeting place for women.
Advanced Usage
- Historical/Architectural Context: The term often appears in historical descriptions, architectural surveys, or literature set in periods before widespread indoor plumbing.
- The estate's surviving outbuildings include a bakehouse, a dairy, and a washhouse.
Variants and Related Words
- Laundry (n): This is the more common modern term for both the room where washing is done and the act/items themselves. A "washhouse" is a type of laundry building.
- Washroom (n): In modern usage, this typically means a bathroom or restroom, not a place for laundering clothes. This is a potential false friend.
- Laundry room (n): The modern equivalent inside a house or apartment.
Synonyms
- Laundry (in the sense of a place)
- Washroom (archaic, in the laundry sense)
- Scullery (can sometimes overlap, but a scullery is generally for dishwashing and kitchen chores)
Noun
-
a building or outbuilding where laundry is done
