Washboard Meaning in English
word
Definition
A washboard is a tool with a ridged surface used to scrub clothes by hand. It can also refer to a person’s well-defined abdominal muscles, which resemble the tool’s pattern.
Usage & Nuances
Mostly old-fashioned for laundry; commonly used figuratively for abs (“washboard abs”). In music, a washboard is also played as a rhythm instrument in folk or jazz. Not a common household item nowadays.
Example Sentences
My grandmother used a washboard to clean clothes.
basic
There is a washboard by the river for people to wash clothes.
basic
The old house still has a washboard in the bathroom.
basic
He works out every day and now he has washboard abs.
natural
During the folk music show, someone played the washboard for rhythm.
natural
That gravel road is so bumpy—it feels like driving over a giant washboard!
natural