"Wash" Definition

Definitions for the word "Wash" from multiple English dictionaries.

1. v. t.
To cleanse by ablution, or dipping or rubbing in water; to apply water or other liquid to for the purpose of cleansing; to scrub with water, etc., or as with water; as, to wash the hands or body; to wash garments; to wash sheep or wool; to wash the pavement or floor; to wash the bark of trees.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
2. v. t.
To cover with water or any liquid; to wet; to fall on and moisten; hence, to overflow or dash against; as, waves wash the shore.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
3. v. t.
To waste or abrade by the force of water in motion; as, heavy rains wash a road or an embankment.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
4. v. t.
To remove by washing to take away by, or as by, the action of water; to drag or draw off as by the tide; -- often with away, off, out, etc.; as, to wash dirt from the hands.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
5. v. t.
To cover with a thin or watery coat of color; to tint lightly and thinly.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
6. v. t.
To overlay with a thin coat of metal; as, steel washed with silver.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
7. v. i.
To perform the act of ablution.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
8. v. i.
To clean anything by rubbing or dipping it in water; to perform the business of cleansing clothes, ore, etc., in water.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
9. v. i.
To bear without injury the operation of being washed; as, some calicoes do not wash.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
10. v. i.
To be wasted or worn away by the action of water, as by a running or overflowing stream, or by the dashing of the sea; -- said of road, a beach, etc.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
11. n.
The act of washing; an ablution; a cleansing, wetting, or dashing with water; hence, a quantity, as of clothes, washed at once.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
12. n.
A piece of ground washed by the action of a sea or river, or sometimes covered and sometimes left dry; the shallowest part of a river, or arm of the sea; also, a bog; a marsh; a fen; as, the washes in Lincolnshire.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
13. n.
Substances collected and deposited by the action of water; as, the wash of a sewer, of a river, etc.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
14. n.
Waste liquid, the refuse of food, the collection from washed dishes, etc., from a kitchen, often used as food for pigs.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
15. n.
The fermented wort before the spirit is extracted.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
16. n.
A mixture of dunder, molasses, water, and scummings, used in the West Indies for distillation.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
17. n.
That with which anything is washed, or wetted, smeared, tinted, etc., upon the surface.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
18. n.
A liquid cosmetic for the complexion.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
19. n.
A liquid dentifrice.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
20. n.
A liquid preparation for the hair; as, a hair wash.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
21. n.
A medical preparation in a liquid form for external application; a lotion.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
22. n.
A thin coat of color, esp. water color.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
23. n.
A thin coat of metal laid on anything for beauty or preservation.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
24. n.
The blade of an oar, or the thin part which enters the water.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
25. n.
The backward current or disturbed water caused by the action of oars, or of a steamer's screw or paddles, etc.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
26. n.
The flow, swash, or breaking of a body of water, as a wave; also, the sound of it.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
27. n.
Ten strikes, or bushels, of oysters.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
28. a.
Washy; weak.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
29. a.
Capable of being washed without injury; washable; as, wash goods.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
30. v.
1 cleanse with liquid, esp. Water. 2 (foll. By out, off, away, etc.) A remove (a stain) in this way. B (of a stain etc.) Be removed by washing. 3 wash oneself or one''s hands and face. 4 wash clothes, dishes, etc. 5 (of fabric or dye) bear washing without damage. 6 (of an argument etc.) Stand scrutiny; be believed or acceptable. 7 (of a river, waters, etc.) Touch. 8 (of liquid) carry along in a specified direction (was washed overboard; washed up on the shore). 9 (foll. By over, along, etc.) Sweep, move, or splash. 10 (foll. By over) occur all around without greatly affecting (a person). 11 sift (ore) by the action of water. 12 brush watery paint or ink over. 13 poet. Moisten, water. n. 1 a washing or being washed. B (prec. By the) a laundry etc. (sent them to the wash). 2 clothes etc. For washing or just washed. 3 motion of agitated water or air, esp.
Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 1884
31. slang
“It wont WASH,” _i.e._, will not stand investigation, will not “bear the rub,” is not genuine, can’t be believed.
Source: The Slang Dictionary, 1864

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Additional Info
This page provides a list of definitions and meanings for "Wash" from various historical English dictionaries. By displaying multiple definitions, you can compare and contrast different meanings and nuances of a word, phrase, or slang. You can also see the changes in meaning of "Wash" over time by viewing the definitions from different dictionaries published at different times in history. The page also includes other information to help users expand their vocabulary and understand the context of the word.

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