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.
“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
Experts suggest increased hand-washing to avoid catching the ultra-contagious stomach bug.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 13, 2025
Last month, inspectors found what appeared to be mold and mildew around the hand-washing sinks used by workers preparing ready-to-eat meats, CBS News reported.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2024
These tough ratings sat up in bed darning their socks, and insisted on hand-washing their own smalls, which they dried on washing lines improvised from string, suspended along the radiators.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
