1 [usually in singular] an act of washing something or an instance of being washed:her hair needs a wash
a quantity of clothes needing to be or just having been washed:she hung out her Tuesday wash
2 [in singular] the water or air disturbed by a moving boat or aircraft:the wash of a smart motor boat
the breaking of waves on a shore:the wash of waves on the pebbled beach
3 (the Wash) an inlet of the North Sea on the east coast of England between Norfolk and Lincolnshire.
4 [mass noun] a medicinal or cleansing solution applied to the skin:citrus-scented body wash
5a layer of paint or metal spread thinly on a surface:the walls were covered with a pale lemon wash
6 [mass noun] silt or gravel carried by a stream or river and deposited as sediment.
[count noun] a sandbank exposed only at low tide.
7 [mass noun] kitchen slops and other food waste fed to pigs.
8 [mass noun] malt fermenting in preparation for distillation.
9 [in singular]North American informal a situation or result that is of no benefit to either of two opposing sides:the plan’s impact on jobs would be a wash, creating as many as it costs
ზმნა
Universal
1 [with object] clean with water and, typically, soap or detergent:Auntie Lou had washed all their clotheshe washed down the woodwork in the kitchen
[no object] clean oneself with soap and water:he reached for the soap and began to wash
(with reference to a stain or dirt) remove or be removed by cleaning with water and detergent: [with object and adverbial]:they have to keep washing the mould off the walls figurativeall that hate can’t wash away the guilt [no object, with adverbial]:the dirt on his clothes would easily wash out
[no object, with adverbial] (of fabric, a garment, or dye) withstand cleaning to a specified degree without shrinking or fading:a linen-mix yarn which washes well
[no object] do one’s laundry:I need someone to cook and wash for me
literary wet or moisten (something) thoroughly:you are beautiful with your face washed with rain
2 [with object and adverbial of direction] (of flowing water) carry (someone or something) in a particular direction:floods washed away the bridges
[no object, with adverbial of direction] be carried by flowing water:an oil slick washed up on the beaches
[no object, with adverbial of direction] (especially of waves) sweep or splash in a particular direction:the sea began to wash along the decks
[with object] (of a river, sea, or lake) flow through or lap against (a country, coast, etc.):offshore islands washed by warm blue seas
[with object] sift metallic particles from (earth or gravel) by running water through it:the sand has been churned and washed by miners
3 [with object] brush with a thin coat of dilute paint or ink:the walls were washed with shades of umber
(wash something with) coat inferior metal with (a film of gold or silver from a solution):copper washed with silver
4 [no object, with negative] informal seem convincing or genuine:charm won’t wash with this crew
come out in the wash
informal be resolved eventually with no lasting harm:he’s not happy but he assures me it’ll all come out in the wash
in the wash
(of clothes, bed linen, or similar) put aside for washing or in the process of being washed:the sweater has shrunk a little in the wash
wash one's dirty linen (or laundry) in public
informal discuss one’s personal affairs in public.
wash one's hands
go to the toilet (used euphemistically).
wash one's hands of
disclaim responsibility for:the social services washed their hands of his daughter
[originally with biblical allusion to Matt. 27:24]
wash one's mouth out (with soap and water)
[often as imperative] stop swearing.
wash something down
accompany or follow food with a drink:bacon and eggs washed down with a cup of tea
wash out (or wash someone out)
North American be excluded (or exclude someone) from a course or position after a failure to meet the required standards:a lot of them had washed out of pilot training
wash something out
1cause an event to be postponed or cancelled because of rain:their match against Australia was washed out
2(of a flood or downpour) make a breach in a road:the water washed out three highways
wash up
1 (also wash something up) chiefly British clean crockery and cutlery after use:I cook for him, but he must wash upwash up the teacups
2North American clean one’s hands and face:supper’s about done—go wash up
wash over
(of a feeling) affect (someone) suddenly:a deep feeling of sadness washed over her
occur all around without greatly affecting (someone):she allowed the babble of conversation to wash over her
