washing

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The act or process of one that washes.
2. n. Articles washed or intended to be washed at one time: the week's washing.
3. n. The residue after an ore or other material has been washed.
4. n. The liquid used to wash something. Often used in the plural.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The purification of molten cast-iron by additions to the bath of metal in the hearth of a furnace; specifically the oxidization of phosphorus and sulphur by the addition of ores of pure oxid of iron, or those that contain manganese oxid.
2. n. The act of cleansing with water; ablution. Ceremonial washing has been practised in ancient and modern times and among various peoples. The principal ceremonial washings in the modern Christian church are two: washing of feet, in commemoration of the washing of the feet of the disciples by Christ (see foot); and washing of the hands, especially in connection with the celebration of the eucharist. In the Western Church, as well as in the Greek and other Oriental churches, the priest washes his hands before celebration. In the Western Church he also washes his fingers after the offertory and at the end of the eucharistic office. See ablution, lavabo, purification, and holy water (under water).
3. n. Clothes washed, especially those washed at one time: awash.
4. n. 3. The result of washing; that which is washed from something else, as gold dust.

Wiktionary

1. n. uncountable The action of the verb to wash
2. n. uncountable, chiefly UK, New Zealand Clothing, bed linen or soft furnishings that have been, are currently being, or are to be washed; laundry.
3. n. countable, often in the plural The residue after an ore, etc, has been washed
4. n. the liquid used to wash an ore
5. v. present participle of wash.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of one who washes; the act of cleansing with water; ablution.
2. n. The clothes washed, esp. at one time; a wash.
3. n. (Mining) Gold dust procured by washing; also, a place where this is done; a washery.
4. n. A thin covering or coat.
5. n. (Stock Exchanges) The operation of simultaneously buying and selling the same stock for the purpose of manipulating the market. The transaction is fictitious, and is prohibited by stock-exchange rules.
6. n. (Pottery) The covering of a piece with an infusible powder, which prevents it from sticking to its supports, while receiving the glaze.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. garments or white goods that can be cleaned by laundering
2. n. the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)