saucer bathn.
/ˈsɔːsə bɑːθ/, /ˈsɔːsə baθ/, U.S. /ˈsɔsər ˌbæθ/, /ˈsɑsər ˌbæθ/ 1. A shallow dish or saucer of water used as a bird bath.
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1855 L. M. Budgen May Flowers ii. 48 Perhaps he takes a preliminary flight, or perhaps lights direct from the cage upon the edge of his saucer-bath.
1922 Garden Mag. June 280 (advt.) We offer the saucer bath as illustrated for $2.25.
2000 P. Elving et al. Attracting Birds 32 (caption) An upside-down iron table base makes a sculptural pedestal for a saucer bath.
2. A wide, shallow bathtub used for sponging oneself down. Also: a bath taken in such a bathtub. Now chiefly historical.
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1860 N. Devon Jrnl. 5 July 1/1 (advt.) Household furniture, consisting of..a large variety of Culinary Requisites, Saucer Baths, Barometer,..&c., &c.
1891 Boy's Own Paper 3 Oct. 11/1 A saucer bath daily in good weather.
1927 G. Murray Classical Trad. in Poetry 4 He used a sponge and a tooth-brush and a saucer bath.
1951 C. V. Wedgwood Last of Radicals i. 19 The patriarchal old gentleman, who rose every morning to a cold saucer-bath.
2005 P. Brimacombe in A. Lilwall-Smith Period Living & Trad. Homes Escapes 109/1 The 2nd Lord Robartes preferred to luxuriate in a saucer bath, cosily placed in front of his bedroom fire.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2022).
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n.1855