English

Alternative forms

• wash ball, washball

Noun

wash-ball ‎(plural wash-balls)

1. (archaic) A ball or cake of substance used for bathing or personal cleansing, or to produce a lather for shaving; a ball of soap.
   • 1662, Christopher Wase, Dictionarium minus: A Compendious Dictionary English–Latin & Latin–English: Wherein the Classical Words of both Languages are Aptly Rendered [...]: Also, the Received Names of Herbs, Plants &c. are Largely Inserted, Divers Proverbs Explain'd, and many Antiquities Illustrated, London: Printed by Da. Maxwell, OCLC 8252117, page [542]:

     Magmata, um. The dregs of ointment, waſh-balls.

   • 1693, Age Renewed by Wedlock; or, The Old Womans Commendations of Her Young Husband [Pepys Ballads; 5.159], London: Printed by J. W. in White-Friars Gateway, archived from the original on 7 October 2015:

     My Husband is a Barbar / His Washbals are admir'd, / And I have got a Bason. / Where he Ladders whilst he's tyr'd: / Thus a Youthful Bedfellow vigorous and strong, / Has made an old Woman grow young.

   • 1721, William Gibson, The Farriers Dispensatory: In Three Parts, London: Printed for W. Taylor, at the Ship and Black-Swan, in Pater-Noster-Row, OCLC 745280606, page 179:

     Take Powder of Fænugreek, Aniſeeds, Cumin-Seeds, Elicampain, Colts-foot, Flower of Sulphur, of each three Ounces, Juice of Liquorice one Ounce, Oil of Olives, and Hony, of each eight Ounces, Genoa Treacle twelve Ounces, Oil of Aniſeeds one Ounce; mix altogether, with a Pound and a Half of Wheat Meal, or what is ſufficient to make the whole into a Paſt, which roll into Balls as about as big as a common Waſh-Ball.

   • 1729, Thomas d'Urfey, The Comical History of Don Quixote. As it was Acted at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Garden, By Their Majesties Servants. Part I. Written by Mr. D'Urfey, London: Printed for J[ohn] Darby, in Bartholomew-Close, A. Bettesworth in Pater-Noster-Row, and F. Clay without Temple-Bar; All in trust for Richard, James, and Bethel Wellington, OCLC 642391987, pages 84–85:

     But that I know how I am perſecuted, I ſhould have ſworn this was my very Neighbour, that oft with Razor keen and lathering Waſh-ball mow'd the rough Stubble from my dented Chin, and ſnapp'd his fingers with acute Agility.

   • 1731, Henry Jones; Royal Society, The Philosophical Transactions (from the Year 1700 to the Year 1720.) Abridg'd, and Dispos'd under General Heads. In Two Volumes. By Henry Jones, M.A. and Fellow of King's College in Cambridge. Vol. IV. Containing Part I. The Mathematical Papers. Part II. The Physiological Papers, volume IV, 2nd edition, London: Printed for J. and J. Knapton [et al.], OCLC 642248928, page 199:

     That which gave me the firſt Suſpicion, that the Chalybeat Waters did not contain any rough, or vitriolic, or acid Salts in them, proceeded from an accidental Uſe of a ſtrong Iron Water, in which I diſſolv'd Soap, and found it lather and waſh my Hands well, and then I us'd a Waſhball and ſhav'd with it, and try'd ſeveral other Waters of this ſort, which did the ſame, and much better than ſome Pump-Waters.

   • 1743, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, The History of the Renowned Don Quixote de la Mancha. Written in Spanish by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Translated by Several Hands: and Published by the late Mr. Motteux. Adorn'd with New Sculptures. The Seventh Edition, Revis'd a-new; and Corrected, Rectify'd and Fill'd up, in Numberless Places, from the Best Spanish Edition; By Mr. Ozell [...], 7th rev. edition, London: Printed for D. Midwinter [et al.], pages 287–288:

     [T]here came in four Damſels, […] the fourth with her Sleeves tuck'd above her Elbows, held in her Lilly-white Hand (for exceeding white it was) a large Waſh-ball of Naples-Soap. […] the Damſel that brought the Waſh-ball fell to Work, and belather'd his Beard ſo effectually, that the Suds, like huge Flakes of Snow, flew all over the paſſive Knight's face; inſomuch, that he was forc'd to ſhut his Eyes.

   • 1749, Alain-René Lesage; Tobias Smollett, transl., The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane. A New Translation, from the Best French Edition, London: J. Osborn, OCLC 779187431; republished as The Adventures of Gil Blas de Santillane. Translated from the French of Le Sage by Tobias Smollett, M.D. [...] In Three Volumes, volume I, London: Printed for Thomas M'Lean [et al.], 1819, OCLC 697631796, page 163:

     […] I don't trouble myself with clothes, linen, and other useless baggage; but resolving to have nothing superfluous, fill my knapsack with belly-timber, my razors, and a wash-ball.

   • 1750, Francis Moore, Vox Stellarum: Or, A Loyal Almanack for the Year of Human Redemption, 1750. [...], London: Printed by James Bettenham, for the Company of Stationers, OCLC 728302389, advertisement:

     The uncommon Succeſs above Forty Years laſt paſt of the ſo-much famed and only true Original Royal Chymical Wash Ball, For beautifying the Face, Neck and Hands, hath induced many envious Perſons, not only in every part of London, but in many Places in the Country, to ſell a counterfeit white Ball (which may prove prejudicial as well as inaffectual) in imitation of the true ones. […] [Our wash-balls] are ſtill more than ever uſed and admir'd by both Sexes of the beſt Quality, and many thouſands of Gentry and others, for making the Skin ſo delicately ſoft and ſmooth as not to be parallel'd by any Waſh or Waſh-Ball, &c. of any Kind or Form; […]

   • 1751, Alexander Pope, “Memoirs of P. P. Clerk of this Parish”, in The Works of Alexander Pope Esq. Volume VI. Containing His Miscellaneous Pieces in Verse and Prose, volume VI, London: Printed for J. and P. Knapton in Ludgate-Street, OCLC 278354423, page 245:

     [T]here paſſed among men a mercenary tale delectable enough to be rehearſed: How that being overtaken with liquor one Saturday evening, I ſhav'd the Prieſt with Spaniſh blacking for ſhoes inſtead of a waſhball, and with lampblack powdered his perriwig. But theſe were ſayings of men, delighting in their own conceits more than in the truth.

   • 1755, Jonathan Swift, “Thoughts on Various Subjects”, in The Works of Jonathan Swift, D. D. Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin, volume VI, part I, London: Printed for C. Davis [et al.], OCLC 833682748, page 183:

     I aſked a poor man how he did? He ſaid, he was like a waſh-ball, always in decay.

   • 1777, Susanna Centlivre, The Wonder! A Woman Keeps a Secret, a Comedy, written by Mrs. Centlivre. Marked with the Variations of the Manager's Book, at the Theatre-Royal in Drury Lane, London: Printed for W. Lowndes, S. Bladon, and W. Nicoll, OCLC 24861717; reprinted in The New English Theatre. Vol. XI. Confederacy, Minor, Country Wife, Chances, Wonder, London: Printed for J. Rivington & Sons, J. Dodsley. T. Lowndes, T. Caslon, W. Nicoll, S. Bladon, &c., 1777, OCLC 723029323, Act II, page 16:

     Vio[lante]. Why, ſure you are in love Liſſardo; did not you ſay, but now, you had balls where you have been? / Liſſ[ardo]. Balls, madam! Odſlife, I aſk your pardon, madam! I, I, I, had miſlaid ſome waſh-balls of my maſter's, t'other day; and becauſe I could not think where I had lain them, juſt when he aſkt for them, he very fairly broke my head, madam, and now, it ſeems, I can think of nothing elſe.

   • 1784, Pierre-Joseph Buc'hoz, The Toilet of Flora: Or, a Collection of the most Simple and Approved Methods of Preparing Baths, Essences, Pomatums, Powders, Perfumes, and Sweet-Scented Waters. With Receipts for Cosmetics of every Kind, that can Smooth and Brighten the Skin, give Force to Beauty, and Take Off the Appearance of Old Age and Decay. For the Use of the Ladies, London: Printed for J[ohn] Murray, No. 32, Fleet-Street; and W. Nicoll, St. Paul's Church Yard, OCLC 642559419, pages 202–203:

     251. A Waſh-ball, an excellent Coſmetic for the Face and Hands. Take a pound of Florentine Orrice, a quarter of a pound of Storax, two ounces of Yellow Sanders, half an ounce of Cloves, as much fine Cinnamon, a Nutmeg, and twelve grains of Ambergriſe; beat the whole into very fine powder and ſift them through a lawn ſieve; all except the Ambergriſe, which is to be added afterwards. […] Of this Paſte make Waſh-balls; dry them in the ſhade, and poliſh them with a Paſteboard or Lignum Vitæ cup.

   • 1784, Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy; which Far Exceeds Any Thing of the Kind yet Published [...] To which are Added, One Hundred and Fifty New and Useful Receipts. And also Fifty Receipts for Different Articles of Perfumery. With a Copious Index. A New Edition, with All the Modern Improvements: and also the Order of a Bill of Fare for each Month, in the Manner Dishes are to be Placed upon the Table, in the Present Taste, London: Printed for W. Strahan [et al.], page 399:

     To make Red, Light, or Purple Waſh-Balls. Get ſome white-ſoap, beat it in a mortar; then put it into a pan, and cover it down cloſe; […] make them very round, and put them into a band-box or a ſieve two or three days; then ſcrape them a little with a waſh-ball ſcraper (which are made for that purpoſe,) and let them lie eight or nine days; afterwards ſcrape them very ſmooth and to your mind.

   • 1790, N[athan] Bailey; Edward Harwood, An Universal Etymological English Dictionary: Comprehending the Derivations of the Generality of Words in the English Tongue, either Ancient or Modern [...] By N. Bailey [...] The Five-and-Twentieth Edition, Carefully Enlarged and Corrected. By Edward Harwood, D.D., 25th edition, London: Printed for J. F. and C. Rivington [et al.], OCLC 645789108, page [928]:

     WASH BALL, a Ball of Soap.

   • 1801, Isaac Disraeli, Romances; Second Edition, Corrected. To which is Now Added, A Modern Romance, 2nd corr. edition, London: Printed for Murray and Highley, Fleet-Street, OCLC 558849581, page 22:

     His baſket was nicely arranged with perfumed waſh-balls, ſweet-ſcented flowers, candied citrons, and cryſtal vials of ottar-gul. The firſt ſlave he met he preſented with a perfumed waſh-ball. And how many aſpers, ſaid ſhe, doſt thou charge for this ball? It is thine for thy black eyes! Kais replied and paſſed on. What a handſome perfumer this, cried the ſlave as she kept her eye on the waſh-ball.

   • 1820, James Millar, Elements of Chemistry, with its Application to Explain the Phenomena of Nature and the Processes of Arts and Manufactures, Edinburgh: Printed for W. & C. Tait, Prince's Street; and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, London, OCLC 14534188, page 385:

     Wash Balls, and Perfumed Soaps. – In preparing the common type of wash balls, a quantity of hard soap is melted and mixed with fine starch, and the usual proportions are, five parts of soap to three parts of starch.

   • 1833, Noah Webster, A Dictionary of the English Language: Abridged from the American Dictionary, for the Use of Primary Schools and the Counting House, 11th edition, New York, N.Y.: N. & J. White [etc.], page 499:

     Wash-ball, n. a ball of soap for cleansing.

Quotations

For more examples of usage of this term, see Citations:wash-ball.