washen

English

Etymology

From Middle English wasshen, waschen, ywasshe (past participle of wasshen (“to wash”)), from Old English wasċen, ġewasċen (“washed”, past participle of wasċan (“to wash”)), equivalent to wash +‎ -en. Cognate with Saterland Frisian waasken (“washed, washen”), West Frisian wosken (“washed, washen”), Dutch gewassen (“washed, washen”), German Low German wusken (“washed, washen”), German gewaschen (“washed, washen”). More at wash.

Verb

washen

1. (archaic) alternative past participle of wash.
   • 1898, John Splendid, The Tale of a Poor Gentleman, and the Little Wars of Lorn:

     I've had my chance of common life, city and town, and the company of ladies with broidery and camisole and washen faces

   • a. 1653, Hugh Binning, a sermon

     Are ye made clean and washen from the guilt of your sins?

   • 1859, Ferna Vale, Natalie; or, A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds:

     Her spirit was the spirit of love, forgiving as she hoped to be forgiven,—her sins, which, had it not been said of man, "not one is perfect," we should have looked upon as of no deeper stains than are of the newly washen lambs, gambolling in fresh pastures of innocence.

Adjective

washen (comparative more washen, superlative most washen)

1. (archaic) clean
   • 1926, Sir Robert Chalmers, “Further dialogues of the Buddha”, in Bibliotheca Indo-Buddhica, volume 1, numbers 44-45:

     He becomes washen by washing away evil and wrong states.

   • 1975, Neil Miller Gunn, Morning tide:

     Morag put on a second petticoat of exactly the same material and shape, except that its colour was a dull red. Now she would be ready in a minute, thought Kirsty. Morag put on a third petticoat, of a more washen red than the second, but this one would not fix without its safety-pin.

Antonyms

• unwashen

Anagrams

• when as, whenas

Middle English

Verb

washen

1. Alternative form of wasshen