Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The process of washing; a cleansing.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A washing or cleansing.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Obs. or R. A washing or cleansing.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun obsolete A
washing orcleansing .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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And he who would avenge a murder shall observe all the precautionary ceremonies of lavation, and any others which the God commands in cases of this kind.
Laws 2006
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This was renewed every hour of the day; for Roseton's fancy indulged the frequent and the casual lavation, and his exacting taste demanded the strictest purity.
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 1, No. 2, February, 1862 Devoted To Literature And National Policy Various
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First a lavation; this Virginian incense is more agreeable to devout worshippers like you and me than to the uninitiated.
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The next morning I commenced again my duties of personal attendance upon her room, and although it was earlier than usual when I went in with a can of fresh water from the spring for her morning lavation, I once again surprised her on the ottoman drawing on her stocking.
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At the farther end of the cook room I saw George pour hot water into his dishpan, light his pipe, and put the tableware through its required lavation.
Waifs and Strays Part 1 O. Henry 1886
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The city has such immense natural advantages and such capabilities of boundless growth, and such varied and ever increasing accommodations and appliances for eye and ear, for memory and wit, for locomotion and lavation, and all manner of delectation, that I see that the poor fellows that live here do get some compensation for the sale of their souls.
The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I Carlyle, Thomas 1883
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Peculiar to the time and place was the solemn exposition, after lavation of hands, processions backwards and forwards, and certain changes of vestments, of the identical earthen vessels -- veritable relics of the old religion of Numa!
Marius the Epicurean — Volume 2 Walter Pater 1866
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The city has such immense natural advantages and such capabilities of boundless growth, and such varied and ever increasing accommodations and appliances for eye and ear, for memory and wit, for locomotion and lavation, and all manner of delectation, that I see that the poor fellows that live here do get some compensation for the sale of their souls.
The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I Thomas Carlyle 1838
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In the course of this lavation, it was discovered the extraordinary flow of blood and brains had been produced by the infliction of a deep wound on the back of the head, by the sharp and ponderous tomahawk of an Indian.
Wacousta : a tale of the Pontiac conspiracy — Volume 1 John Richardson 1824
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In the course of this lavation, it was discovered the extraordinary flow of blood and brains had been produced by the infliction of a deep wound on the back of the head, by the sharp and ponderous tomahawk of an Indian.
Wacousta : a tale of the Pontiac conspiracy (Complete) John Richardson 1824
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