1. Clean by virtue of having been washed in water
   "She hung the washed clothes on the line"; "The water-washed pebbles gleamed in the sunlight";
   - water-washed
    
2. Wet as from washing; sometimes used in combination
   "rain-washed"

1. Cleanse with a cleaning agent, such as soap, and water
   "Wash the towels, please!";
   - launder
    
2. Cleanse (one's body) with soap and water
   "She washed her face before bed";
   - lave
    
3. Remove by the application of water or other liquid and soap or some other cleaning agent
   "he washed the dirt from his coat"; "The nurse washed away the blood"; "Can you wash away the spots on the windows?"; "he managed to wash out the stains"; "he washed off the dirt from his coat";
   - wash out, wash off, wash away
    
4. To cleanse (itself or another animal) by licking
   "The cat washes several times a day"
    
5. [literary] Make moist
   "The dew washed the meadows";
   - moisten, dampen
    
6. (of a liquid, esp. water) flow against
   "the waves washed the shore";
   - lave, lap
    
7. Move by or as if by water
   "The swollen river washed away the footbridge"
    
8. Be capable of being washed
   "Does this material wash?"
    
9. [informal] Admit to testing or proof
   "This silly excuse won't wash in traffic court"
    
10. Apply a thin coating of paint, metal, etc., to
    "The artist washed the canvas with a light blue colour"
     
11. Form by erosion
    "The river washed a ravine into the mountainside"
     
12. Clean with some chemical process
    "The mechanic washed the engine parts in solvent";
    - rinse
     
13. (mining) wash by removing particles
    "Wash ores";
    - hush
     
14. Separate dirt or gravel from (precious minerals)
    "The prospectors washed the river sediment for gold"

See also: clean, wet

Type of: be, clean, cleanse, cover, displace, eat away, erode, exist, fret, move, process, remove, separate, serve, stand, swear out, take, take away, wet, withdraw

Encyclopedia: Wash, Martha