wash (w sh, wôsh)v. washed, wash·ing, wash·es v.tr.1. a. To cleanse, using water or other liquid, usually with soap, detergent, or bleach, by immersing, dipping, rubbing, or scrubbing: wash one's hands; wash windows. b. To soak, rinse out, and remove (dirt or stain) with or as if with water: wash grease out of overalls. 2. To make moist or wet; drench: Tears washed the child's cheeks. 3. To flow over, against, or past: waves that washed the sandy shores. 4. To carry, erode, remove, or destroy by the action of moving water: Heavy rains washed the topsoil away. 5. To rid of corruption or guilt; cleanse or purify: wash sins away. 6. To cover or coat with a watery layer of paint or other coloring substance. 7. Chemistry a. To purify (a gas) by passing through or over a liquid, as to remove soluble matter. b. To pass a solvent, such as distilled water, through (a precipitate). 8. To separate constituents of (an ore) by immersion in or agitation with water. 9. To cause to undergo a swirling action: washed the tea around in the cup. v.intr.1. To cleanse something in or by means of water or other liquid. 2. a. To undergo washing without fading or other damage: This fabric will wash. b. Informal To hold up under examination; be convincing: "That [proclamation], of course, will not wash" John Hughes. 3. To flow, sweep, or beat with a characteristic lapping sound: Waves washed over the pilings. 4. To be carried away, removed, or drawn by the action of water. n.1. The act or process of washing or cleansing. 2. A quantity of articles washed or intended for washing: The wash is on the back porch. 3. Waste liquid; swill. 4. Fermented liquid from which liquor is distilled. 5. A preparation or product used in washing or coating. 6. A cosmetic or medicinal liquid, such as a mouthwash. 7. a. A thin layer of water color or India ink spread on a drawing. b. A light tint or hue: "a wash of red sunset" Thomas Pynchon. 8. a. A rush or surge of water or waves. b. The sound of this rush or surge. 9. a. Removal or erosion of soil by the action of moving water. b. A deposit of recently eroded debris. 10. a. Low or marshy ground washed by tidal waters. b. A stretch of shallow water. 11. Western U.S. The dry bed of a stream. 12. Turbulence in air or water caused by the motion or action of an oar, propeller, jet, or airfoil. 13. Informal An activity, action, or enterprise that yields neither marked gain nor marked loss: "[The company] doesn't do badly. That is, it's a wash" Harper's. adj.1. Used for washing. 2. Being such that washing is possible; washable. Phrasal Verbs: wash down1. To clean by washing with water from top to bottom: wash down the walls. 2. To follow the ingestion of (food, for example) with the ingestion of a liquid: washed the cake down with coffee. wash out1. a. To remove or be removed by washing. b. To cause to fade by laundering: color that had been washed out by bleach. 2. To carry or wear away or be carried or worn away by the action of moving water: The river rose and washed out the dam. The road has washed out five miles down the mountain. 3. To deplete or become depleted of vitality: By evening, I was washed out from overwork. 4. To eliminate or be eliminated as unsatisfactory: a football player who was washed out; an officer candidate who washed out after one month. 5. To cause (an event) to be rained out. wash up1. To wash one's hands. 2. Chiefly British To wash dishes after a meal. 3. To burn out; exhaust: all washed up as a politician. Idioms: come out in the wash Slang 1. To be revealed eventually: The real reasons for her resignation will come out in the wash. 2. To turn out well in the end: Don't worry: this project will come out in the wash. wash (one's) hands of1. To refuse to accept responsibility for. 2. To abandon; renounce.
[Middle English washen, from Old English wacsan, wæscan; see wed-1 in Indo-European roots.] |
wash Verb 1. to clean (oneself, part of one's body, or a thing) with soap or detergent and water 2. (of a garment or fabric) to be capable of being washed without damage or loss of colour 3. to move or be moved in a particular direction by water: houses may be washed away in floods 4. (of waves) to flow or sweep against or over (a surface or object), often with a lapping sound 5. Informal to be acceptable or believable: the masculine pride argument won't wash now when so many women go out to work Noun 1. the act or process of washing 2. all the clothes etc. to be washed together on one occasion 3. a thin layer of paint or ink: a pale wash of blue 4. the disturbance in the air or water produced at the rear of an aircraft, boat, or other moving object: we were hit by the wash of a large vessel 5. come out in the wash Informal to become known or apparent in the course of time washable adj
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. | wash - a thin coat of water-base paintblackwash - a wash that colors a surface black calcimine - a water-base paint containing zinc oxide and glue and coloring; used as a wash for walls and ceilings whitewash - wash consisting of lime and size in water; used for whitening walls and other surfaces | | 2. |  wash - the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)washup, bathing - the act of washing yourself (or another person) ablution - the ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vessels washing-up - the washing of dishes etc after a meal rinse - washing lightly without soap soak, soaking - washing something by allowing it to soak rinsing, rinse - the removal of soap with clean water in the final stage of washing work - activity directed toward making or doing something; "she checked several points needing further work" | | 3. | wash - the dry bed of an intermittent stream (as at the bottom of a canyon) | | 4. | wash - the erosive process of washing away soil or gravel by water (as from a roadway); "from the house they watched the washout of their newly seeded lawn by the water"rain-wash - the washing away of soil or other loose material by rain soil erosion - the washing away of soil by the flow of water | | 5. |  wash - the flow of air that is driven backwards by an aircraft propellerflow - any uninterrupted stream or discharge | | 6. | wash - a watercolor made by applying a series of monochrome washes one over the other | | 7. |  wash - garments or white goods that can be cleaned by launderinggarment - an article of clothing; "garments of the finest silk" | | 8. | wash - any enterprise in which losses and gains cancel out; "at the end of the year the accounting department showed that it was a wash"colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech | | Verb | 1. | wash - clean with some chemical processwash off, wash away, wash out, wash - remove by the application of water or other liquid and soap or some other cleaning agent; "he washed the dirt from his coat"; "The nurse washed away the blood"; "Can you wash away the spots on the windows?"; "he managed to wash out the stains" elute - wash out with a solvent, as in chromatography launder, wash - cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap, and water; "Wash the towels, please!" wash - separate dirt or gravel from (precious minerals) | | 2. | wash - cleanse (one's body) with soap and watercleanse, clean - clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washing; "clean up before you see your grandparents"; "clean your fingernails before dinner" wash - to cleanse (itself or another animal) by licking; "The cat washes several times a day" scrub up, scrub - wash thoroughly; "surgeons must scrub prior to an operation" gargle, rinse - rinse one's mouth and throat with mouthwash; "gargle with this liquid" hush - wash by removing particles; "Wash ores" wash up, lave - wash one's face and hands; "She freshened up in the bathroom" | | 3. | wash - cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap, and water; "Wash the towels, please!"wash, rinse - clean with some chemical process clean, make clean - make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from; "Clean the stove!"; "The dentist cleaned my teeth" wash out - wash free from unwanted substances, such as dirt; "Wash out your dirty shirt in the sink" cradle - wash in a cradle; "cradle gold" hand-wash, handwash - wash or launder by hand instead of with a machine; "This delicate sweater must be handwashed" acid-wash - wash with acid so as to achieve a bleached look; "acid-wash blue jeans" wash - be capable of being washed; "Does this material wash?" | | 4. | wash - move by or as if by water; "The swollen river washed away the footbridge"wash - form by erosion; "The river washed a ravine into the mountainside" move, displace - cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense; "Move those boxes into the corner, please"; "I'm moving my money to another bank"; "The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant" | | 5. | wash - be capable of being washed; "Does this material wash?"launder, wash - cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap, and water; "Wash the towels, please!" be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" | | 6. | wash - admit to testing or proof; "This silly excuse won't wash in traffic court"stand - be in effect; be or remain in force; "The law stands!" | | 7. | wash - separate dirt or gravel from (precious minerals)wash, rinse - clean with some chemical process separate - divide into components or constituents; "Separate the wheat from the chaff" | | 8. | wash - apply a thin coating of paint, metal, etc., towhitewash - cover with whitewash; "whitewash walls" cover - provide with a covering or cause to be covered; "cover her face with a handkerchief"; "cover the child with a blanket"; "cover the grave with flowers" | | 9. |  wash - remove by the application of water or other liquid and soap or some other cleaning agent; "he washed the dirt from his coat"; "The nurse washed away the blood"; "Can you wash away the spots on the windows?"; "he managed to wash out the stains"remove, take away, withdraw, take - remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract; "remove a threat"; "remove a wrapper"; "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"; "take the gun from your pocket"; "This machine withdraws heat from the environment" wash, rinse - clean with some chemical process wash out - wash free from unwanted substances, such as dirt; "Wash out your dirty shirt in the sink" | | 10. | wash - form by erosion; "The river washed a ravine into the mountainside"wash - move by or as if by water; "The swollen river washed away the footbridge" | | 11. |  wash - make moist; "The dew moistened the meadows"wet - cause to become wet; "Wet your face" baste - cover with liquid before cooking; "baste a roast" | | 12. | wash - wash or flow against; "the waves laved the shore"flow - cover or swamp with water | | 13. | wash - to cleanse (itself or another animal) by licking; "The cat washes several times a day"cleanse, clean - clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washing; "clean up before you see your grandparents"; "clean your fingernails before dinner" lave, wash - cleanse (one's body) with soap and water |
wash verb 4. bathe, bath, shower, take a bath or shower, clean yourself, soak, sponge, douse, freshen up, lave ( archaic) soap, scrub yourself down 5. lap, break, dash, roll, flow, surge, splash, slap, ripple, swish, splosh wash something away erode, corrode, eat into, wear something away, eat something away wash something or someone away sweep away, carry off, bear away  Translations wash [wɔʃ] vt → lavar (= sweep, carry) [ sea etc] → llevarvi → lavarse to have a wash → lavarse wash away vt [+ stain] → quitar lavando; [ river etc] → llevarse; (US) (= have a wash); lavarse
 wash [wɔʃ] vt → laver (= sweep, carry) [ sea etc] → emporter, entraîner: ( ashore) → rejeterto give sth a wash → laver qch;
 wash [wɔʃ] vt → waschen [+ dishes]; spülen, abwaschen (= remove grease, paint etc); ausspülenwash away wash vt → wegspülen wash off wash vi → sich herauswaschen wash out wash vt [+ stain] → herauswaschen
 wash [wɔʃ] vt → lavare (= sweep, carry) [ sea etc] → portare, trascinarevi → lavarsi to have a wash → lavarsi; he was washed overboard → fu trascinato in mare (dalle onde) (US) (= have a wash); lavarsi
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washing dirty laundry in public