[f. WIPE v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of the verb WIPE, q.v. (lit. or fig.) Also with advs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. lxxx. (1495), L viij/1. Wyth wypynge & clensynge this vnclennes of leed may be taken away.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 530/1. Wypynge, of handys…, tersura.
1448–9. Metham, Amoryus & Cleopes, 1632. This lyoun … in hys welteryng Made alle blody Cleopes kerchyff in hys wypyng.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet., 4 b. The Confutacion, is a dissoluyng or wipyng awaie, of all suche reasons as make against vs.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 207. When they require wiping, a warm piece of silk … is the most suitable material to use.
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. x. 499. This Gcmót was meant to be a wiping out of old scores.
1890. Jacobi, Printing, 232. Packing the rollers.—This is sometimes necessary to avoid the ‘wiping’ of the roller on the extreme edges of the type, which causes an excess of ink.
2. concr. (pl.): see quot. 1888.
1888. Jacobi, Printers’ Voc., 156. Wipings, cotton refuse used for wiping up and cleansing machinery.
1905. Daily News, 4 March, 6. There is sometimes spontaneous combustion … in the ink and wipings at a printer’s.
3. attrib. and Comb. Used for wiping, as wiping-handkerchief, -towel; wiping-bar (Glass-making), see quot.; wiping-cloth (spec. in Plumbing: see WIPE v.3); wiping-rod, -stick, a rod fitted with a piece of cloth or tow for cleaning out the bore of a gun.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 590 (Glass-making). The *wiping bar … wrapped in linen, to remove dust.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Almayzar, a *wiping cloth of haire.
1888. J. W. Clarke, Mod. Plumbing Pract. (1914), I. 58. The wiping-cloth following the iron so as to pull or push the solder upwards as it runs downwards on being heated.
1647. Trapp, Comm. James v. 1 (1656), 913. Better weep here, where there are *wiping-handkerchiers in the hand of Christ, then to have your eyes whipt out in hell.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., s.v. Rod, The … *wiping-rod,… used by gun-smiths.
1817. J. Bradbury, Trav. Amer., 167. They often take from them the furs they have collected, and beat them severely with their *wiping sticks.
1848. Blackw. Mag., July, 18/1. Pete was in the act of forcing down the ball with his long hickory wiping-stick.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 40. Thee wayting seruaunts … doe carrye … *wyping towels.
1911. Kate D. Wiggin, Mother Carey, xiii. She … gave the wiping towels to Julia.
