[f. WASH v. + -ING2.]
1. That washes, in various senses of the verb:
a. Surging, overflowing; streaming with water; dipping in the waves.
1560. Googe, trans. Palingenius’ Zodiac, II. (1561), B ij. The washyng winter now is fledde, the hoary snowes be gon.
1653. J. Taylor (Water P.), Cert. Trav., 22. I was … three and thirty dirty Kentish miles, With washing dashing ways and rain wel sous’d.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, IX. 80. The washing Tyde Secures from all approach this weaker side.
1867. Morris, Jason, II. 63. For he was dizzy with the washing stream.
1882. Daily Tel., 12 Sept., 2/2. The washing heights of foam which swell up as high as the rail of the bulwarks.
1913. Masefield, The River, iii. in Engl. Rev., Dec., 1.
| Slipping in little falls whose tingeings drown, | |
| Sunk by the waves forever pressing on, | |
| Till with a stripping crash the tree goes down, | |
| Its washing branches founder and are gone. |
b. Of a garment, a textile fabric: That will ‘wash’ or admit of being washed without injury to color or texture; washable.
a. 1733. Ld. Binning, in Maidment, New Bk. Old Ballads (1844), 62. I fain wad wear a camblet skirt,… But camblet’s an untasty thing, And it would wear out soon. If I should make a washing thing, It soon would flimsy be.
1750. F. Coventry, Pompey the Little, II. xii. A white washing Gown.
1849. Lever, Con Cregan, xiv. The satin sinner was pardonable, where the ‘washing silk’ would have been found guilty without a ‘recommendation.’
1868. ‘Holme Lee,’ B. Godfrey, v. The … material of her dresses was … washing prints.
1901. Lady’s Realm, X. 648/2. Some lovely silk nightgowns are being made with double cape collars of washing-chiffon.
† 2. Of a blow: = SWASHING ppl. a. 2. Obs.
1567. Golding, Ovid’s Met., V. 252. Astyages … Did with a long sharpe arming sworde a washing blow him giue.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc. (1590), 22. You see my quarter staffe…. A washing blow of this is as good as a Laundresse, it will wash for the names sake: it can wipe a fellow ouer the thumbs.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. i. 70 (Qo. 1599). Gregorie, remember thy washing blowe [and so Fo. 1].
1621. Fletcher, Wild-Goose Chase, V. iv. ’Tis a lustie wench: now could I spend my forty-pence … to have but one fling at her, To give her but a washing blow.
1625. B. Jonson, Staple of N., V. v. I doe confesse a washing blow.
3. Washing bear, raccoon = WASH-BEAR.
1891. Century Dict., Washing-bear, the wash-bear or racoon, Procyon lotor.
1894. Nottinghamshire Guardian, 16 June, 2/2. The Germans call him the ‘washing bear.’
1896. trans. Boas’ Zool., 516. The Washing Racoon (Procyon).
