different between ablution vs cleaning

English

Etymology

From Middle English ablucioun (“cleansing of impurities”), from Old French ablution, and its source, Late Latin abl?ti? (“a washing away”), from ablu? (“wash away”), from ab- (“away”) +? lav? (“wash”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??blu?.?n?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??blu.?n?/
• Rhymes: -u???n

Noun

ablution (countable and uncountable, plural ablutions)

1. The act of washing something.
   1. (chemistry) 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. [First attested from around 1350 to 1470.]
   2. The act of washing or cleansing the body, or some part of it, as a religious rite. [From mid 16^th century.]
   3. (literary or humorous, usually in the plural) Washing oneself; bathing, cleaning oneself up. [From mid 18^th century.]
   4. (Western Christianity) 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. [from 17th c.]
2. The liquid used in the cleansing or ablution. [From early 18^th century.]

   • Cast the ablutions in the main

3. (Eastern Orthodoxy) The ritual consumption by the deacon or priest of leftover sacred wine of host after the Communion.
4. (plural only, Britain, military) The location or building where the showers and basins are located. [From mid 20^th century.]

Related terms

• ablutionary
• ablutive

Translations

References

• ablution in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• abutilon, albutoin

French

Etymology

From Latin ablutio

Pronunciation

Noun

ablution f (plural ablutions)

1. (Western Christianity) Ritual rinsing of the priest's hand; ablution.
2. (rare) A washing, especially ritual.

Usage notes

• The various other meanings of the word are usually only used in the plural.

Derived terms

• ablutions

Further reading

• “ablution” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• oubliant

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kli?n??/
• Rhymes: -i?n??

Verb

cleaning

1. present participle of clean

Noun

cleaning (countable and uncountable, plural cleanings)

1. (gerund of clean) The process of making something clean.
2. The afterbirth of cows, ewes, etc.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Gardner to this entry?)

Derived terms

• spring cleaning

Translations

Anagrams

• elancing, enlacing