washˈer noun

1. Someone who washes
2. A washing machine
3. A facecloth (Aust)
4. A ring, usu flat, of metal, rubber, etc, to keep joints or nuts secure, etc (perh a different word)
5. Hence derisively (in pl) small change (slang)

To fit with a washer or washers

washˈery noun

1. A washhouse (archaic)
2. A place in which an industrial washing process takes place (eg of coal, ore or wool)

washˈiness noun

1. The state of being watery
2. Feebleness

washˈing noun

1. The act of cleansing, wetting or coating, with liquid
2. Clothes or other articles washed or to be washed
3. A thin coating
4. The action of breaking, lapping, etc (of waves, etc)
5. (usu in pl) liquid that has been used to wash something, or matter separated or carried away by water or other liquid

1. That washes
2. Used for washing
3. Washable

washˈy adjective

1. Watery, moist
2. Thin, feeble
3. Faded

washˈ-and-wearˈ adjective

(of garments or fabrics) easily washed, quick-drying, and requiring no ironing

washˈ-away noun (esp Aust)

1. The destruction of part of a road, railway, etc by flooding
2. The breach so caused
3. An erosion of the earth by the action of water
4. The channel so made

washˈball noun

A ball of toilet-soap

washˈbasin, washˈbowl or washhand basin noun

A basin to wash one's face and hands, etc in

washˈboard noun

1. A corrugated metal board for rubbing clothes on in washing (also washˈing-board), utilized as a percussion instrument in certain types of music, eg skiffle or Country and Western
2. A thin plank on a boat's gunwale to prevent the sea from breaking over
3. A skirting-board (dialect)

washˈ-bottˈle or washˈing-bottˈle noun

1. A bottle containing liquid used for purifying gases
2. A bottle with tubes through the stopper, enabling a stream of cleansing liquid to be directed onto a chemical or a piece of apparatus

washˈcloth noun

1. A piece of cloth used in washing, esp a dishcloth
2. A facecloth or flannel (N American)

washˈday noun

A day (or the regular day) when one washes one's clothes and linen (also washˈing-day)

washˈ-dirt noun

Earth to be washed for gold

wash drawing noun

A drawing in pencil or pen and ink over which a transparent wash is applied by brush

washedˈ-outˈ adjective

1. Deprived of colour, esp by washing
2. Deprived of energy or animation (informal)

washedˈ-upˈ adjective

1. Deprived of energy or animation (informal)
2. Done for, at the end of one's resources (slang)
3. Unsuccessful (slang)
4. Finished (with with; slang)

washer-driˈer or washer-dryˈer noun

A combined washing machine and drier

washˈerman or washˈerwoman noun (old)

A man or woman who washes clothes, esp for a living

washˈ-gildˈing noun

A gilding made with an amalgam of gold from which the mercury is driven off by heat, leaving a coating of gold

washˈhouse or washˈing-house noun (old)

A house or room for washing clothes in

washˈ-in or washˈ-out noun

An increase (or decrease) in the angle of incidence, ie the angle between the chord of a wing and the wind relative to the aeroplane, in approaching the wing tip along the camber

washing-blue see under blue¹

washing line noun

A clothes-line

washing machine noun

A machine for washing clothes

washing powder or washing liquid noun

A powdered or liquid preparation used in washing clothes

washing-soda see soda

washˈing-upˈ noun

1. The washing of dishes and cutlery after a meal
2. The crockery, cutlery, etc to be washed after use

washing-up machine noun (old)

A dishwasher

washˈland noun

An area of land periodically flooded by overflow water from a river, stream, or from the sea

wash leather noun

1. Split sheepskin prepared with oil in imitation of chamois
2. A piece of this for washing windows
3. Buff-leather for regimental belts

washˈ-out or washˈout noun

1. An erosion of earth by the action of water
2. The hole or channel so made
3. An event spoilt or cancelled because of rain
4. A complete failure (informal)
5. A useless person (informal)
6. See also wash-in above

washˈpot noun

A vessel for washing one's hands, etc, or for boiling clothes in

washˈrag noun (N American)

1. A facecloth, a flannel
2. A servant who washes dishes (obsolete)

washˈroom noun

1. A room containing lavatories and facilities for washing
2. A lavatory (chiefly N American)

wash sale noun (US)

The dishonest practice of buying and immediately re-selling large quantities of a stock at an inflated price, so as to create a false impression of strong market interest in it

washˈstand or washhand stand noun (old)

A piece of furniture for holding jug, basin and other requisites for washing oneself

washˈtub noun

1. Orig a tub for washing clothes in
2. A washing machine

washˈ-up noun

1. A washing-up
2. A washing-up place
3. Anything cast up by the sea, etc
4. The washing of ore
5. A quantity of gold obtained by washing
6. An outcome or result (Aust sl)
7. The period at the end of a parliament in which the government seeks to settle its unfinished business (Brit)

washˈwipe noun

(in a motor vehicle) a mechanism for spraying the front or the rear windscreen with washing fluid, which is distributed and wiped off by the windscreen wiper

come out in the wash

1. (of a stain, etc) to disappear on washing
2. To become intelligible, work out satisfactorily (figurative; informal)

wash away

1. (of flowing water) to carry off by force
2. To obliterate

wash down

1. (of liquid) to carry downward
2. To wash from top to bottom
3. To help the swallowing or digestion of (a solid food) with a drink

wash its face (slang)

(of an undertaking) to just pay its way

wash one's hands of

To disclaim responsibility for

wash out

1. To remove by washing
2. To wash free from dirt or soap, etc
3. (of colours or design) to disappear or become fainter as a result of washing
4. To rain off
5. To cancel (informal)
6. To exhaust (informal; esp in passive)
7. To bring the blade of an oar not cleanly out of the water (rowing)

wash up

1. To wash the dishes and cutlery after a meal
2. To wash one's hands and face (esp US)
3. To sweep up onto the shore
4. To spoil (informal; esp in passive)