Ablution

//əˈbluː.ʃn̩// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The act of washing something.; Originally, the purifying of oils and other substances by emulsification with hot water; now more generally, a thorough cleansing of a precipitate or other non-dissolved substance. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    the ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vessels wordnet
  3. 3
    The act of washing something.; The act of washing or cleansing the body, or some part of it, as a religious rite. countable, uncountable

    "Let water be brought to perform my ablutions, and let the pious Fakreddin be called to offer up his prayers with mine."

  4. 4
    The act of washing something.; Washing oneself; bathing, cleaning oneself up. countable, humorous, literary, plural-normally, uncountable

    "He followed the steps of Bella, who soon conducted him to his chamber, and left him to those ablutions which a long ride along a sandy road had rendered particularly necessary."

  5. 5
    The act of washing something.; The rinsing of the priest's hand and the sacred vessel following the Communion with, depending on rite, water or a mix of it and wine, which may then be drunk by the priest. countable, uncountable
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  1. 6
    The act of washing something.; wudu, ritual washing of the limbs and head performed immediately before prayer or holding the Quran countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    The liquid used in the cleansing or ablution. countable, uncountable

    "Cast the ablutions in the main"

  3. 8
    The ritual consumption by the deacon or priest of leftover sacred wine of host after the Communion. countable, uncountable
  4. 9
    The location or building where the showers and basins are located. UK, countable, plural, plural-only, uncountable

Etymology

From Middle English ablucioun (“cleansing of impurities”), from Old French ablution, and its source, Late Latin ablūtiō (“a washing away”), from abluō (“wash away”), from ab- (“away”) + lavō (“wash”).

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