wash-hand stand
- noun
- /ˈwɒʃ.hænd.stænd/
- Archaic
:
lavabo
- The wash-hand stand is beautiful.
Examples
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In old country houses, the wash-hand stand was an essential piece of furniture.
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A beautiful antique wash-hand stand stood in the corner of the bedroom.
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She placed a porcelain pitcher on the wash-hand stand beside a delicate basin.
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What a lovely wash-hand stand!
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In the old country house, the wash-hand stand was beautifully crafted and held a delicate porcelain basin.
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Before indoor plumbing became common, people relied on a wash-hand stand to wash their hands and face.
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The antique wash-hand stand in the guest bathroom added a vintage charm to the decor.
Synonyms
1
5.2
A small piece of furniture with a basin for washing hands and face
How Portable
Surface Forms
Morphology
wash-hand + stand
The phrase names a piece of furniture for washing hands: 'wash-hand' specifies the purpose (for washing hands) and 'stand' denotes a support or small table. Although somewhat archaic or hyphenated, the meaning is directly compositional and immediately inferable by a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Wash-hand stand is a small stand that held a basin and pitcher for washing hands before houses had running water. That's why it means 'a small table for a basin and pitcher used for washing hands'.