great unwashed

== English == === Etymology === Attributed by many to Edmund Burke, the first published use of the phrase was by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in a dedicatory epistle for 1830, Paul Clifford. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌɡɹeɪt ʌnˈwɒʃt/ (US) IPA(key): /ˌɡɹeɪt ʌnˈwɔːʃt/, /ˌɡɹeɪt ʌnˈwɑːʃt/ === Noun === great unwashed pl (plural only) (idiomatic, derogatory) The general populace, particularly the working class. Synonyms: hoi polloi, unwashed masses, great unhosed; see also Thesaurus:commonalty ==== Translations ==== === References ===