Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense washes, present participle washing, past tense, past participle washed
1. verb
If you wash something, you clean it using water and usually a substance such as soap or detergent.
He got a job washing dishes in a pizza parlour. [VERB noun]
The colours gently fade each time you wash the shirt. [VERB noun]
It took a long time to wash the mud out of his hair. [VERB noun preposition]
Rub down the door and wash off the dust before applying the varnish. [VERB noun with adverb]
Synonyms: clean, scrub, sponge, rinse More Synonyms of wash
Wash is also a noun.
That coat could do with a wash.
The treatment leaves hair glossy and lasts 10 to 16 washes.
2. verb
If you wash or if you wash part of your body, especially your hands and face, you clean part of your body using soap and water.
They looked as if they hadn't washed in days. [VERB]
She washed her face with cold water. [VERB noun]
You are going to have your dinner, get washed, and go to bed. [getVERB-ed]
Wash is also a noun.
She had a wash and changed her clothes.
3. verb
If a sea or river washes somewhere, it flows there gently. You can also say that something carried by a sea or river washes or is washed somewhere.
The sea washed against the shore. [VERB preposition/adverb]
The oil washed ashore on roughly 1000 miles of coastline. [VERB preposition/adverb]
The force of the water washed him back into the cave. [VERB noun with adverb]
[Also VERB noun preposition]
Synonyms: lap, break, dash, roll More Synonyms of wash
4. singular noun
The wash of a boat is the wave that it causes on either side as it moves through the water.
...the wash from large ships. [+ from]
5. verb
If a feeling washesover you, you suddenly feel it very strongly and cannot control it.
[written]
A wave of self-consciousness can wash over her when someone new enters the room. [VERB + over]
The overpowering despair that he'd fought so hard to keep at bay washed through theboy. [Vover/through n, VERB + through]
6. countable noun [usually NOUNof noun]
A washof something such as light or colour is a thin layer of it.
[written]
The lights from the truck sent a wash of pale light over the snow.
Synonyms: coat, film, covering, layer More Synonyms of wash
7. verb
If you say that an excuse or idea will not wash, you mean that people will not accept or believe it.
[informal]
He said her policies didn't work and the excuses didn't wash. [VERB]
If they believe that solution would wash with the Haitian people, they are makinga dramatic error. [VERB + with]
8. See also washing
9.
See come out in the wash
10.
See be in the wash
11. to wash your dirty linen in public
12. to wash your hands of something
Phrasal verbs:
See wash away
See wash down
See wash out
See wash over
See wash up
More Synonyms of wash
wash in British English
(wɒʃ)
verb
1.
to apply water or other liquid, usually with soap, to (oneself, clothes, etc) in order to cleanse
2. (tr; often foll by away, from, off, etc)
to remove by the application of water or other liquid and usually soap
she washed the dirt from her clothes
3. (intransitive)
to be capable of being washed without damage or loss of colour
4.
(of an animal such as a cat) to cleanse (itself or another animal) by licking
5. (transitive)
to cleanse from pollution or defilement
6. (transitive)
to make wet or moist
7. (often foll byaway, etc)
to move or be moved by water
the flood washed away the bridge
8.
(esp of waves) to flow or sweep against or over (a surface or object), often with a lapping sound
9.
to form by erosion or be eroded
the stream washed a ravine in the hill
10. (transitive)
to apply a thin coating of paint, metal, etc, to
11. (transitive)
to separate (ore, precious stones, etc) from (gravel, earth, or sand) by immersion in water
12. (intr; usually used with a negative) informal, mainly British
to admit of testing or proof
your excuses won't wash with me this time
13. wash one's hands
noun
14.
the act or process of washing; ablution
15.
a quantity of articles washed together
16.
a preparation or thin liquid used as a coating or in washing
a thin wash of paint
a hair wash
17. medicine
a.
any medicinal or soothing lotion for application to a part of the body
b.
(in combination)
an eyewash
18.
the flow of water, esp waves, against a surface, or the sound made by such a flow
19.
a.
the technique of making wash drawings
b. wash drawing
20.
the erosion of soil by the action of flowing water
21.
a mass of alluvial material transported and deposited by flowing water
22.
land that is habitually washed by tidal or river waters
23.
the disturbance in the air or water produced at the rear of an aircraft, boat, or other moving object
24.
gravel, earth, etc, from which valuable minerals may be washed
25.
waste liquid matter or liquid refuse, esp as fed to pigs; swill
26.
an alcoholic liquid resembling strong beer, resulting from the fermentation of wort in the production of whisky
27. come out in the wash
Word origin
Old English wæscan, waxan; related to Old High German wascan; see water
Wash in British English
(wɒʃ)
noun
the Wash
Wash. in British English
abbreviation for
Washington
Wash in American English1
(wɔʃ; wɑʃ)
Theshallow inlet of the North Sea, on the E coast of England: c. 20 mi (32 km) long
Wash in American English2
Washington
wash in American English
(wɔʃ; wɑʃ)
verb transitive
1.
to clean by means of water or other liquid, as by dipping, tumbling, or scrubbing, often with soap, a detergent, etc.
2.
to make clean in a religious or moral sense; purify
3.
to make wet, or moisten; drench or flush with water or other liquid
4.
to cleanse (itself or another) by licking, as a cat does
5.
to flow over, past, or against
said of a sea, river, lake, waves, etc.
6.
to soak (out), flush (off), or carry (away) by or as by the use or action of water
to wash out dirt, a bridge washed away by the flood
7.
a.
to make by flowing over and wearing away substance
a heavy rain that washed gullies in the bank
b.
to cut into or erode; wear (out or away) by flowing over
the flood washed out the road
8.
to act as a suitable cleaning agent for
soap that will wash silks
9.
to cover with a thin or watery coating of paint, esp. of water color
10.
to cover with a thin layer of metal
11. Chemistry
a.
to pass distilled water through (a precipitate in a filter)
b.
to pass (a gas) over or through a liquid in order to remove soluble matter
12. Mining
a.
to pass water through or over (earth, gravel, etc.) in order to separate ore, metal,precious stones, etc.
b.
to separate (the ore, etc.) in this way
verb intransitive
13.
to wash oneself or one's hands, face, etc.
often with up
14.
a.
to wash clothes
b.
to clean anything in, or by means of, water, etc.
15.
to undergo washing, esp. without fading or other damage
16.
to be removed by washing
usually with out or away
stains that will wash out
17.
to sweep or flow (over, against, along, up, etc.) in or as in waves or a current, stream, etc.
18.
to be cut, worn, or carried (out or away) by the action of water
the bridge had washed out
19.
to be eroded, as by the action of rain or a river
20. Informal
to withstand a test or examination
an alibi that won't wash
noun
21.
a.
the act or an instance of washing
b. US
a place where something is washed
carwash
22.
a quantity of clothes, etc. washed, or to be washed
23.
waste liquid; refuse liquid food, as from cooking; swill; hogwash
24.
a.
the rush, sweep, or surge of water or waves
b.
the sound of this
c.
water rushing, sweeping, or surging in waves
d.
the surge or eddy of water caused by a propeller, oars, paddle wheel, etc.
e.
a disturbed eddy of air left behind a moving airplane, propeller, etc.
25.
wear or erosion caused by a flow or falling of water, or by the action of waves
26.
silt, mud, debris, etc. carried and dropped by running water, as of a stream
27.
soil or earth from which metals, ores, precious stones, etc. may be washed
28.
a.
low ground which is flooded part of the time, and partly dry the rest, with water standing in pools
b.
a bog; marsh
c.
a shallow pool or pond, or a small stream
d.
a shallow arm of the sea or part of a river
29.
a channel made by running water
30. US
in the western U.S., the dry bed of a stream which flows only occasionally, usually in a ravine or canyon
31.
a thin, watery layer of paint, esp. of watercolor, applied with even, sweeping movement of the brush
32.
a thin coating of metal applied to a surface in liquid form
33.
any of various liquids as for cosmetic, grooming, or medicinal use
mouthwash
34.
fermented liquor ready for distillation
35.
weak liquor or liquid food
36. US, Informal
a drink of water, beer, etc. taken with whiskey, rum, etc.; chaser
37. US, Informal
a situation in which contrasted elements, as the losses and gains in a business transaction, offset each other
adjective
38.
that can be washed without damage; washable
a wash dress
Idioms:
come out in the wash
wash down
wash out
SYNONYMY NOTE: wash, the most general of these words, refers to any earthy material carried and depositedby running water; , drift, the more precise term as used in geology, is usually qualified by a word descriptiveof the manner in which the material is transported [glacial or fluvial drift]; alluvium usually refers to a deposit of relatively fine particles, such as soil, left by aflood, etc.; , silt applies to material composed of very fine particles, such as that deposited on riverbeds or suspended in standing water
Word origin
ME wasshen < OE wæscan, akin to Ger waschen: for prob. IE base see water
More idioms containing
wash
wash your hands of something or someone
wash your dirty linen in public
everything will come out in the wash
something will come out in the wash
Examples of 'wash' in a sentence
wash
It just gets washed back up the beach.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
One in three sharers said their biggest grievances were about paying for things such as bin bags and washing up liquid.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
All the colour is washed out.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Huge waves wash over the deck.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They get washed out to sea as sewage before returning to our beaches as detritus, injuring and killing thousands of birds and animals.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
One small dolphin that washed ashore on a beach near Newquay appeared to have had a large chunk taken out of it by a shark.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
He said:'There is very little refuse collection and recycling in many areas and rubbish just ends up getting washed into the river.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
I'd wash cutlery 15 times before using it.
The Sun (2016)
Not washing your hair this morning now seems like a really bad idea.
The Sun (2015)
We sleep on the streets and we wash in the sea.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He had been washing floors and dishes in this place for twelve hours a day all week.
James Fergusson KANDAHAR COCKNEY: A Tale of Two Worlds (2004)
Winter skin need not be pale and washed out.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We thought he had been washed off the boat.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
One of his schools was seen on news footage being washed away by the tsunami.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
We would make a blaze from all the driftwood that had washed ashore in the winter storms.
The Sun (2012)
This process is worsened by washing with soap.
The Sun (2009)
The glaring white light washed over him and past him.
Tepper, Sheri S. A Plague of Angels (1993)
The brown wash of colour is actually tea.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Your hair tells the world more than just the last time you washed it.
The Sun (2011)
Politics or the washing up usually works well.
The Sun (2010)
They will come from across the subcontinent in the belief that the river will wash away sins.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Trying to wash our clothes in the bath is a nightmare.
The Sun (2014)
Now we go back to washing dishes.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Ministers cannot cross their fingers while homes are destroyed and giant waves wash the ground from beneath major rail routes.
The Sun (2014)
Paint with egg wash and bake for 25 min or until puffy and golden.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It's a similar lesson when it comes to washing our faces.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Then rub in a little white vinegar and washing-up liquid and wash as normal.
The Sun (2007)
I that anyone too lazy to their pyjamas leave the house washed or teeth either.
The Sun (2010)
We say Easy to apply and wash off, and left the skin feeling smoother.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt.
Christianity Today (2000)
At the edges, the description is minimal, consisting mostly of thin washes.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
wash
British English: wash /wɒʃ/ VERB
If you wash something, you clean it using water and usually a substance such as soap or detergent.
He got a job washing dishes in a pizza parlour.
American English: wash
Arabic: يَغْسِلُ
Brazilian Portuguese: lavar
Chinese: 洗涤
Croatian: prati
Czech: mýt
Danish: vaske
Dutch: wassen
European Spanish: lavar
Finnish: pestä
French: laver
German: waschen
Greek: πλένω
Italian: lavare
Japanese: 洗う
Korean: 씻다
Norwegian: vaske
Polish: umyć
European Portuguese: lavar
Romanian: a (se) spăla
Russian: мыть
Latin American Spanish: lavar
Swedish: tvätta
Thai: ล้าง
Turkish: yıkamak
Ukrainian: мити
Vietnamese: rửa
All related terms of 'wash'
wash up
If you wash up , you wash the plates , cups , cutlery, and pans which have been used for cooking and eating a meal.
dry wash
a dry stream bed
hand-wash
to wash by hand rather than in a washing machine
the Wash
a shallow inlet of the North Sea on the E coast of England, between Lincolnshire and Norfolk
wash away
If rain or floods wash away something, they destroy it and carry it away.
wash down
If you wash something, especially food, down with a drink, you drink the drink after eating the food, especially to make the food easier to swallow or digest .
wash load
a load of washing which is put in a washing machine
wash out
If you wash out a container , you wash the inside of it.
wash over
If something someone does or says washes over you, you do not notice it or it does not affect you in any way.
wash-rag
A wash-rag is the same as a → washcloth .
wash sale
the illegal stock-exchange practice of buying and selling the same securities at an inflated price through a colluding broker to give the impression that the security has a strong market
wash-wipe
a windscreen wiper
wet wash
laundry washed and left damp without ironing
wish-wash
any thin weak drink
facial wash
a beauty product which cleanses the skin of the face
pig's wash
waste food or other edible matter fed to pigs
screen wash
a fluid that is squirted onto a car windscreen to clean it
strip-wash
a thorough , all-over wash with a flannel , sponge , etc, and water but without getting into a bath or shower
wash goods
washable fabrics or garments
wash drawing
a pen-and-ink drawing that has been lightly brushed over with water to soften the lines
wash leather
a soft leather , usually made of sheepskin
wash windows
A window is a space in the wall of a building or in the side of a vehicle, which has glass in it so that light can come in and you can see out.
wash-and-wear
(of fabrics , garments , etc) requiring only light washing , short drying time, and little or no ironing
carwash
a place, usually an area at a filling station , which has special equipment, such as rotating brushes and water jets , to wash a car
washaway
to wash (the inside of something) so as to remove ( dirt )
be in the wash
If you say that something such as an item of clothing is in the wash , you mean that it is being washed, is waiting to be washed, or has just been washed and should therefore not be worn or used.
wash-hand basin
a basin or bowl for washing the face and hands
wash one's hands
to go to the lavatory
flatwork
laundry that can be ironed mechanically
washbasin
A washbasin is a large bowl, usually with taps for hot and cold water, for washing your hands and face.
frequent wash shampoo
a shampoo whose mildness allows it to be used frequently
wash one's hands of
to have nothing more to do with
come out in the wash
If you say that something will come out in the wash , you mean that people will eventually find out the truth about it.
wash your dirty linen in public
to talk about unpleasant or personal matters in front of other people, when most people consider that such things should be kept private .
everything will come out in the wash
said to reassure someone that everything will be all right
something will come out in the wash
said to mean that people will eventually find out the truth about something
wash your hands of something or someone
to refuse to be involved with a problem or a person who causes problems or to take responsibility for them any longer
to wash your hands of something wash one's hands of sb
If you wash your hands of someone or something, you refuse to be involved with them any more or to take responsibility for them.
hand basin
a basin or bowl for washing the face and hands
to wash your hands of someone to wash your hands of something
If you wash your hands of someone or something, you refuse to be involved with them any more or to take responsibility for them.
to wash your dirty linen in public to wash your dirty laundry in public
If you say that someone washes their dirty linen in public , you disapprove of their discussing or arguing about unpleasant or private things in front of other people. There are several other forms of this expression , for example wash your dirty laundry in public , or in American English, air your dirty laundry in public .
Chinese translation of 'wash'
wash
(wɔʃ)
vt
[clothes, dishes, paintbrush]洗 (xǐ)
(= carry)
to be washed ashore/out to sea etc被冲(沖)到岸边(邊)/冲(沖)向大海等 (bèi chōngdào ànbiān/chōngxiàng dàhǎi děng)
vi
[person]洗净(淨) (xǐjìng)
[sea, waves etc]
to wash over/against sth冲(沖)过(過)/拍打某物 (chōngguò/pāidǎ mǒuwù)
n
(c) (= clean) 洗 (xǐ)
(s)[of ship]涡(渦)流 (wōliú)
to wash one's face/hands/hair洗脸(臉)/手/头(頭)发(髮) (xǐ liǎn/shǒu/tóufa)
to wash one's hands of sth/sb洗手不干(乾)某事/断(斷)绝(絕)与(與)某人的关(關)系(係) (xǐshǒu bù gàn mǒushì/duànjué yǔ mǒurén de guānxì)
to wash sth out of sth将(將)某物从(從)某物上冲(沖)掉 (jiāng mǒuwù cóng mǒuwù shang chōngdiào)