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Bath

Origin: as. Bae; akin to os. & Icel. Ba, Sw, dan, D, & g. Bad, and perh. To g. Bahen to foment.

1. The act of exposing the body, or part of the body, for purposes of cleanliness, comfort, health, etc, to water, vapor, hot air, or the like; as, a cold or a hot bath; a medicated bath; a steam bath; a hip bath.

2. Water or other liquid for bathing.

3. A receptacle or place where persons may immerse or wash their bodies in water.

4. A building containing an apartment or a series of apartments arranged for bathing. Among the ancients, the public baths were of amazing extent and magnificence. (Gwilt)

5. (Science: chemistry) a medium, as heated sand, ashes, steam, hot air, through which heat is applied to a body.

6. (Science: photography) a solution in which plates or prints are immersed; also, the receptacle holding the solution.

bath is used adjectively or in combination, in an obvious sense of or for baths or bathing; as, bathroom, bath tub, bath keeper. Douche bath. See douche. Order of the bath, a high order of British knighthood, composed of three classes, viz, knights grand cross, knights commanders, and knights companions, abbreviated thus: g. C. B, k. C. B, k. B. Russian bath, a kind of vapor bath which consists in a prolonged exposure of the body to the influence of the steam of water, followed by washings 66b

and shampooings. Turkish bath, a kind of bath in which a profuse perspiration is produced by hot air, after which the body is washed and shampooed. Bath house, a house used for the purpose of bathing; also a small house, near a bathing place, where a bather undresses and dresses.