hand-washing
Americannoun
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the act or activity of laundering something by hand.
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the act or activity of washing one’s hands.
Etymology
Origin of hand-washing
First recorded in 1790–95; hand ( def. ) + washing ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When AFP visited, she was carrying water in large, plastic jerry cans and hand-washing clothes in a bowl on the dirt floor.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
I was instantly grateful that I’d brought hand sanitizer as there weren’t any hand-washing stations near the entrance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
“We have tried to intervene with limited resources by setting up a hand-washing station and providing some personal protective equipment for staff,” Lusenge told the Journal by email.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 24, 2026
A dirty floor, inadequate hand-washing facilities in some areas and broken equipment posing a potential contamination risk were also identified in the inspectors' report.
From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026
I waited, listening to footsteps come and go, to the water-sounds of hand-washing and flushing.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
