• wash-machine (dated)

wash machine (plural wash machines)

1. (chiefly informal) Synonym of washing machine.
   • 1928 June 29, “ARRIVAL OF BUYERS”, in The New York Times‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 December 2025:

     BRIDGEPORT-The D. M. Read Co.; W. W. Taylor, electrical refrigerators, wash machines, house furnishings; […]

   • 1958 August 7, “SOVIET TO GET LAUNDRY; U.S. Automatic Wash Machines to Be Set Up in Moscow”, in The New York Times‎^[2], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 December 2025
   • 1963 April 21, Elaine S. Zimbel, George Zimbel, “OLD MANSION ON THE HUDSON;[…]”, in The New York Times‎^[3], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 December 2025:

     The “wash machine,” a huge wooden basket, works nearly the same way as the modern version.

   • 1973 October 24, Nathaniel Sheppard Jr., “Oil Shortage May Raise Electric Bills Here”, in The New York Times‎^[4], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 December 2025:

     Mr. Lefrak said at a news conference that his plan entailed conversion of all wash machines in his buildings to cold‐water use; […]

   • 1992 April 5, Martha Ann Overland, “Style Makers; Philip Treacy, Hat Designer”, in The New York Times‎^[5], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 December 2025:

     No matter how outrageous his hats get, he insists that each one is designed for the wearer. "I can't just send people out with a wash machine or a typewriter on their head," Mr. Treacy said. "I like a hat to have shapes relevant to the human form because somebody's got to wear it."

   • 1993 March 28, Lois Timnick, Bernice Hirabayashi, “Educators want to give kids fashion freedom,[…]”, in Los Angeles Times‎^[6], Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 4 December 2025:

     Lynsea’s mom, Karen Robinson, sighs at her daughter’s get-ups--the pajama bottoms, the punk-red streaks through the hair, the grungy overalls that “don’t you dare” throw in the wash machine.

   • 2015 June 22, Gary Antonick, quoting Dr. W [pseudonym], “Steve Humble’s Neighbor Problem”, in The New York Times‎^[7], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 June 2015:

     The little scrap was about an inch or two across and might have survived a wash-machine trip.

   • 2018 March 13, Sabrina Barr, “Reusable 'family cloth' horrifies internet as eco-friendly alternative to toilet paper”, in The Independent‎^[8], London: Independent News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 March 2018:

     Another person commented on the fact that washing the cloth so frequently may not be that cost-effective, tweeting: “Like how are you really saving if you’re having to wash them in a wash machine?[”]