cleanse
verb /klenz/
/klenz/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they cleanse | /klenz/ /klenz/ |
| he / she / it cleanses | /ˈklenzɪz/ /ˈklenzɪz/ |
| past simple cleansed | /klenzd/ /klenzd/ |
| past participle cleansed | /klenzd/ /klenzd/ |
| -ing form cleansing | /ˈklenzɪŋ/ /ˈklenzɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] cleanse (something) to clean your skin or a wound
- a cleansing cream
- The wound was then cleansed and dressed.
- a lotion to cleanse the face/skin
Synonyms cleancleanTopics Medicinec1- wash
- rinse
- cleanse
- dry-clean
- clean to remove dirt or dust from something, especially by using water or chemicals:
- The villa is cleaned twice a week.
- Have you cleaned your teeth?
- This coat is filthy. I’ll have it cleaned (= dry-cleaned).
- wash to remove dirt from something using water and usually soap:
- He quickly washed his hands and face.
- These jeans need washing.
- rinse to remove dirt, etc. from something using clean water only, not soap; to remove the soap from something with clean water after washing it:
- Make sure you rinse all the soap out.
- cleanse to clean your skin or a wound.
- dry-clean to clean clothes using chemicals instead of water.
- to clean/wash/rinse/cleanse something in/with something
- to clean/wash/rinse something from something
- to clean/wash/cleanse a wound
- to clean/wash the car/floor
- to wash/rinse your hair
- to have something cleaned/washed/dry-cleaned
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- thoroughly
- gently
- of
- [transitive] cleanse somebody (of/from something) (literary) to take away somebody’s guilty feelings or sin
- She felt cleansed of her sins after confession.
see also ethnic cleansing
Word OriginOld English clǣnsian (verb), from clǣne, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German klein ‘small’.