washbowl
/ˈwɒʃ.bəʊl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈwɑːʃ.boʊl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwȯsh-ˌbōl ˈwäsh-/ (ame, mw)
washbowl — noun
1. A portable basin that people carried around the house and filled with water for
A portable basin that people carried around the house and filled with water for washing their face, hands, or small objects. Before homes had running water, the washbowl stood on a washstand or a low wooden cabinet.
Before indoor plumbing was common, families used a washbowl and a pitcher of water to clean themselves each morning.
historical context: washbowl + pitcher of water
Ritu took the ceramic washbowl to her grandmother's room so the old woman could wash her face in bed.
The museum display showed a nineteenth-century washbowl and a matching water jug on a small wooden washstand.
In the old inn, each room had a washbowl, a bar of soap, and a towel on the table.
Luca found three hand-painted washbowls at the antique market, each with tiny blue flowers around the rim.
- basin
more general term; can refer to any wide, open container for liquids
- washbasin
more common in modern usage; may refer to either portable or fixed types
- hand basin
specifically for hand-washing, often in bathrooms
文法句型
a [adjective] washbowl
washbowl + and + [item]
用法筆記
This sense is primarily used in historical or antique contexts. Modern homes typically use fixed plumbing rather than portable washbowls.
常見錯誤
2. A basin that is fastened to a bathroom wall and connected to water pipes, giving
A basin that is fastened to a bathroom wall and connected to water pipes, giving users running water for washing their face and hands.
The hotel bathroom had a small white washbowl with two chrome taps above a granite countertop.
collocation: washbowl + taps/faucets
Sivan scrubbed the paint stains off his hands in the washbowl before going to the interview.
The plumber replaced the old cracked washbowl with a modern wall-mounted model with a single mixer tap.
Yasmin leaned over the washbowl and splashed cold water on her face after a long day at work.
The washbowl in the downstairs bathroom was too small for washing anything larger than a pair of socks.
- sink
far more common in everyday use; can be in a kitchen or bathroom
- washbasin
slightly more formal; common in British English
- hand basin
specifies the purpose; used in home-improvement contexts
文法句型
washbowl + in + [room]
wall-mounted washbowl
用法筆記
This sense refers to the same object as a bathroom sink or washbasin. 'Washbowl' is much less common than 'sink' in everyday conversation. In British English, 'wash-hand basin' is an alternative.