footbath

Noun

footbath (plural footbaths)

1. The act of soaking or washing the feet.
   • Besides the above auxiliaries, our author occasionally recommends topical bleeding, exercise, friction, footbaths, &c.1827 September 4, “Galvanism, Vaporbath, &c. [from the London Gazette of Health]”, in John G. Coffin, editor, The Boston Medical Intelligencer. Devoted to the Cause of Physical Education, and to the...
   • […] I [William Cowper] have been constant in the use of a hot foot[-]bath every night, the last thing before going to rest.1835, William Hayley, “The Life of Cowper”, in T[homas] S[huttleworth] Grimshawe, editor, The Works of William Cowper: His Life and Letters […], volume I, London: Saunders and Otley, […], →OCLC, part...
2. A small basin or bath designed for soaking or washing the feet.
   • [T]he portion [of the nail] which projects beyond the fingers or toes should be excised, so that it may not prevent the motions of the hands or feet. If the nail has no very considerable thickness, this may be done wit a pair of strong scissors, after it has been softened by the employment of the...1833, P[ierre François Olive] Rayer, “Alterations of the Nails”, in William B. Dickinson, transl., Treatise on Diseases of the Skin; Founded on New Researches in Pathological Anatomy and Physiology....
   • A footbath is a handy tool to help you practice backyard biosecurity. […] Ask visitors to walk through the footbath, wiping their feet on the mat. The mat scrubs their shoes a bit as they wipe them and applies the disinfectant.2014 April, “Section Two: Practicing Biosecurity”, in Biosecurity Guide for Poultry and Bird Owners: Biosecurity for Birds (Program Aid; no. 1885), Washington, D.C.: Animal and Plant Health...
3. A liquid mixture, often medicinal, for soaking or washing the feet with.
   • Rosemary essential oil can be used alone or in combination with thyme oil and sage tea in a deodorizing footbath that also helps relieve aching feet.1998, Stephanie Tourles, “Ingredients, Supplies, and Tools of the Trade”, in Pamela Lappies, Julia Rubel, editors, Natural Foot Care: Herbal Treatments, Massage, and Exercises for Healthy Feet...
   • A 5 per cent formalin foot-bath is often recommended for the control or prevention of foul-in-the-foot, but it is important not to exceed that strength or to put the cows through it too often.2005, “Foot-baths for Cattle”, in Edward Boden, editor, Black’s Veterinary Dictionary, 21st edition, London: A & C Black Publishers, →ISBN, page 278, column 1