Meaning of wash-ball | Babel Free

Definitions

A ball or cake of substance used for bathing or personal cleansing, or to produce a lather for shaving; a ball of soap.

archaic

Examples

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

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“[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.”

“[…] 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.”

“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.”

“[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.”

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

“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.”

“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.”

“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⟳.”

“WASH⟳ BALL, a Ball of Soap.”

“His baſket was nicely arranged with perfumed waſh-balls, ſweet-ſcented flowers, candied citrons, and cryſtal vials of ottar-gul.”

“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.”

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

CEFR level