Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - wash

~1 v 1 »WASH SOMETHING« to clean something using soap and water  (I'm just going to wash my hands. | This shirt needs washing. | wash the dishes)  (It's your turn to wash the dishes.) 2 »WASH YOURSELF« to clean yourself with soap and water  (Amy washed and went to bed.) 3 »FLOW« I always + adv/prep, T always + adv/prep if a liquid or something carried by a liquid washes or is washed in a particular direction, it flows there + against/away etc  (The waves washed against the shore.) wash sth away/against/down etc  (Floods had washed away the topsoil. | wash ashore (=be brought to the shore by waves))  (debris washed ashore by the tide) 4 sth doesn't/won't wash spoken used to say that you do not believe or accept someone's explanation, reason, attitude etc  (I'm sorry but all his charm just doesn't wash with me.) 5 wash your hands of sth to refuse to be responsible for something anymore  (I've washed my hands of the whole affair.) 6 wash your dirty linen in public to discuss something unpleasant or embarrassing in public 7 wash your mouth out! spoken used when someone has just sworn or said something rude, to tell them they should not have spoken that way 8 wash well/badly to be easy or difficult to clean using soap and water  (Silk doesn't wash well.)  (- see also wash up wash 1) wash sth down phr v 1 to clean something large using a lot of water  (Can you wash down the driveway?) 2 to drink something to help you swallow food or medicine  (wash sth down with sth)  (steak and chips washed down with red wine) wash sth off phr v 1 to clean dirt, dust etc from the surface of something with water 2 if a substance washes off, you can remove it from the surface of something by washing  (Will this paint wash off?) wash sth out phr v 1 to wash something quickly to get rid of the dirt in it  (I'll just wash out my paint rags first.) 2 if a substance washes out, you can remove it from a material by washing it 3 be washed out if an event is washed out, it cannot continue because of rain  (The summer fair was washed out by the English weather.)  (- see also washed­out, washout) wash over sb phr v if a feeling washes over you, you suddenly feel it very strongly  (A feeling of relief washed over her as the plane landed.) wash up phr v 1 especially BrE to wash plates, dishes, knives etc  (- see also washing­up) 2 AmE to wash your hands  (Go wash up before dinner.) 3 T wash something up) if waves wash something up, they bring it to the shore  (His body was washed up the next morning.)  (- see also wash ashore wash1 (3), washed­up)  ( USAGE NOTE: WASH GRAMMAR You do not usually use the expression wash yourself unless a special effort is needed He washed/had a wash, dressed, and fixed breakfast. | Several children in the class still can't wash themselves. ) ~2 n 1 »ACT OF CLEANING« an act of cleaning something using soap and water  (Those drapes need a wash. | have a wash)  (I'll just have a quick wash before we go.) 2 in the wash waiting to be washed, being washed, or drying  (Your blue shirt's in the wash - you'll have to wear another one. | shrink/fade/get damaged etc in the wash)  (I'm afraid your black sweater shrank in the wash.) 3 it'll all come out in the wash spoken used to tell someone not to worry about a problem because it will be solved in the future 4 »BOAT« the movement of water caused by a passing boat 5 »SEA/RIVER« the wash of the movement or sound made by flowing water  (the wash of the waves against the rocks) 6 »SKIN« a liquid used to clean your skin  (an anti-bacterial face wash) 7 »COLOUR« a very thin transparent layer of paint or colour 8 »CLOTHES« AmE clothes that need to be washed, are being washed, or have just been washed; washing BrE  (do the wash (=wash dirty clothes) | hang the wash out (=put it on the washing line)) 9 »RIVER« also dry wash AmE a river in a desert that usually has no water in it 10 the area of land that is sometimes covered by the sea