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. □ [V
]
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. □ [V
prep/adv]
4
N‑SING
The wash
of a boat is the wave that it causes on either side as it moves through the water. □ [+
5
VERB
If a feeling
washes
over
you, you suddenly feel it very strongly and cannot control it. [WRITTEN
] □ [V
+
6
VERB
If you say that an excuse or idea will not
wash
, you mean that people will not accept or believe it. [INFORMAL
] □ [V
]
7 → see also washing
8
PHRASE
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. [INFORMAL
] □
9to wash your dirty linen in public → see dirty
10to wash your hands of something → see hand ➊
▸
wash away
PHRASAL VERB
If rain or floods
wash away
something, they destroy it and carry it away. □ [V
P
n]
▸ wash down
1
PHRASAL VERB
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. □ [V
n P
]
2
PHRASAL VERB
If you
wash down
an object, you wash it all, from top to bottom. □ [V
P
n]
▸ wash out
1
PHRASAL VERB
If you
wash out
a container, you wash the inside of it. □ [V
P
n]
2
PHRASAL VERB
If dye or dirt
washes out
, it can be removed by washing. □ [V
P
]
3
PHRASAL VERB
If rain
washes out
a sports game or other event, it spoils it or prevents it from continuing. □ [V
P
n]
4 → see also washed-out , washout
▸
wash over
PHRASAL VERB
If something someone does or says
washes over
you, you do not notice it or it does not affect you in any way. □ [V
P
n]
▸ wash up