washpan

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a broad, shallow pan or basin used to hold water for washing

   They stopped the holes in an old tin washpan and used it to bake the pie.

2. 2
   noun

   a shallow pan used to separate valuable minerals from sand or gravel by washing

   The prospector swirled river sediment in his washpan and inspected the remaining grains.

A compound of wash + pan. Domestic washpans held water before fixed plumbing became common; similarly shaped pans are used in mining to wash lighter sediment away from denser minerals.

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