What does wash mean?
Wash is a familiar verb describing the use of water to clean oneself or other things, including clothes, dishes, and household surfaces. It can also refer to the action itself, as in giving an object a quick wash, or to a liquid or preparation intended for cleaning. In more extended uses, flowing water may wash away soil, wear down a road, or cover an area with mud. The noun has several additional meanings: “the wash” can mean laundry, a “car wash” is a business or structure for cleaning vehicles, and an informal “wash” means a result with no meaningful advantage or disadvantage. Although simple, wash has a wide range of practical, descriptive, and idiomatic uses. Its derivatives include washing, washed, washable, washer, washcloth, and washroom. The word is common in both British and American English, with vocabulary such as “washing machine” and “washroom” especially familiar in everyday speech.
An act or instance of cleaning with water; a liquid or preparation used for cleaning; or, informally, a result with no net advantage or loss.
"Give the windscreen a wash before we set off."
Countable uses include “a wash” and “washes,” while “the wash” can refer to laundry or to the process of washing.
To clean something by immersing, rubbing, or rinsing it in water, or to clean oneself in this way; in extended use, to remove or wear away something with flowing water.
"Wash the vegetables and drain them well."
The verb may be transitive or intransitive. Phrases such as “wash up” and “wash away” have established meanings that extend beyond simple cleaning.
“Washes” is the standard plural for separate acts or instances of washing; “the wash” can also refer collectively to laundry.
"The car needs a couple of washes before the road show."
The word for cleaning with water has close relatives across several Germanic languages, including German waschen and Dutch wassen.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of wash
The English verb descends from Old English wæscan, “to wash, cleanse,” while the related noun developed from Old English wæsc, “a washing” or “bath.” Both forms continue a Germanic root preserved in cognates such as German waschen, Dutch wassen, and Old Norse vaska. The wider root is generally connected with the Indo-European word for water.
Related word forms
How wash is actually used
As a verb, wash can be transitive or intransitive and is used in both formal and informal contexts. In British English, “the wash” can refer to laundry, while American English commonly uses “washroom” for a public restroom. The expression “a wash” is informal and means that something has no meaningful net result.
Easily confused with wash
A watch is something worn on the wrist or looked at to tell the time, whereas a wash is an act or process of cleaning with water.