wash
gb/wˈɔʃ/ us/wˈɔʃ/
A1
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A1
action
1
Clean with water and soap
To make something clean by using water and usually soap.
Usage pattern:
to wash [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'wash' with 'clean' even when no water is used; 'wash' usually involves water.
Synonyms
clean (A general term for removing dirt; may not specifically imply water use.)
Antonyms
dirty (To make something unclean, the opposite of washing.)
Collocations
wash clothes
|wash hands
|wash dishes
|wash the car
|wash hair
Themes
daily life
|hygiene
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I need to wash my hands before dinner.
- She washed the dishes after the meal.
- He washed his car every weekend.
- The nurse washed the wound with warm water.
- Please wash your hair before the party.
Learner examples
- I wash my face every morning.
- She washes her clothes on Sunday.
- We wash the car together.
- He washes his hands before eating.
- Wash the cups after tea.
Verb
A1
action
2
Clean oneself with water
To make yourself clean by using water and usually soap.
Usage pattern:
to wash [oneself/body part]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'wash' (general cleaning) with 'shower' (specifically using running water over the whole body).
Synonyms
bathe ('Bathe' can mean to wash the whole body, sometimes in a tub, and can be more formal.)
Antonyms
soil (To make one's body dirty.)
Collocations
wash up
|wash face
|wash hands
|wash before bed
Themes
daily life
|hygiene
|daily_life
|health
|body
Examples
- I always wash before going to bed.
- He washed his face in the cold stream.
- She washed quickly after coming home from the gym.
- Remember to wash after working in the garden.
Learner examples
- I wash every morning.
- He washes his face before school.
- She washes her hands after lunch.
- Wash before you sleep.
Noun
A2
action
3
Act of cleaning with water
When something is cleaned using water and usually soap.
Synonyms
cleaning (A general term for removing dirt; may not specifically involve water.)
Collocations
do the wash
|give it a wash
|car wash
Themes
daily life
|hygiene
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The car needs a good wash.
- I gave my jeans a quick wash.
- The dog could use a wash after playing in the mud.
Learner examples
- The car needs a wash.
- I give my shirt a wash.
- The dog has a wash.
Verb
B1
action
4
Be carried by flowing water
When water moves something onto or away from a place.
Usage pattern:
to wash [something] [somewhere]
Synonyms
carry (A more general term for moving something; doesn't imply water.)
Collocations
washed ashore
|washed away
|washed downstream
Themes
nature
|movement
|weather
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The waves washed the boat ashore.
- The flood washed away several houses.
- Debris was washed downstream after the storm.
Learner examples
- The waves wash the boat to land.
- The rain washes the dirt away.
- The river washes leaves downstream.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
5
Thin layer of color or paint
A light layer of paint or color put on a surface.
Synonyms
glaze (In painting, a transparent layer of color; may differ in technique from a wash.)
Collocations
watercolor wash
|light wash of paint
Themes
art
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The artist applied a blue wash to the background.
- A light wash of yellow brightened the sky in the painting.
- She used a watercolor wash for the first layer.
Learner examples
- The artist uses a blue wash.
- There is a light wash on the wall.
- He paints with a red wash.
Noun
A2
entity
6
Clothes to be cleaned with water
Clothes or other things that need to be washed.
Synonyms
laundry ('Laundry' is more common in American English for clothes being washed.)
Collocations
do the wash
|separate the wash
Themes
daily life
|daily_life
|clothing
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I have a huge pile of wash to do this weekend.
- She separated the whites from the colors in the wash.
- The hotel offers a daily wash service.
Learner examples
- I do the wash on Monday.
- There is much wash today.
- The hotel has a wash service.
Grammar
Dictionary form
wash
IPA
GB/wˈɔʃ/
US/wˈɔʃ/
Syllables & stress
wash (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (wash)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: wash
- Plural: wash, washes
Verb
- Base: wash
- 3rd Person Singular: washes
- Present Participle: washing
- Past: washed
Word family
Forms
Core family
washable
adjective
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
unwashed
adjective
Advanced or less common
brainwash
verb C1
whitewash
verb
Expressions
come out in the wash
1/kˈʌm ˈaʊt ˈɪn ðə wˈɔʃ/
idiom
informal
Problems resolve naturally over time
When problems are not serious and will be fixed naturally with time.
Examples
- Don't worry about that mistake—it'll all come out in the wash.
- Minor disagreements usually come out in the wash.
throw in the wash
1/θɹˈoʊ ˈɪn ðə wˈɔʃ/
fixed phrase
Put clothes in washing machine to clean them with water and detergent
To put clothes in a washing machine to clean them with water and soap or detergent.
Examples
- I'll throw your shirt in the wash with mine.
- These towels need to be thrown in the wash.
wash away
1/wˈɔʃ əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
Remove by flowing water
When moving water carries something away completely.
Examples
- The heavy rain washed away the bridge.
- Floodwaters washed away the crops.
wash out
1/wˈɔʃ ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Remove from inside with water
To clean inside something by using water to take dirt or other things out.
Examples
- She washed out the bottle before refilling it.
- Please wash out the cup after use.
wash up
1/wˈɔʃ ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Clean hands and face with water
To clean your hands and face with water before or after doing something like eating or cooking.
Examples
- Go wash up before dinner.
- He washed up after working in the garden.