# bathe

/ˈbeɪð/ (US) · /bˈeɪð/ (UK) · CEFR A2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bathe
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

to wash yourself or someone else in a bath. It can also mean to swim in a river or the sea for fun.

For teachers: to wash by immersion in water; to swim or spend time in a body of water for pleasure.

## Examples

- I bathe the baby every evening before bed.
- During the hot summer months, many locals bathe in the cool waters of the nearby lake to escape the heat.
- The ritual required the participants to bathe in the sacred spring before entering the temple grounds, symbolizing a spiritual cleansing of the soul.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I need to bath the dog." but "I need to bathe the dog." — In American English, 'bath' is the noun and 'bathe' is the verb. In British English, 'bath' can be a verb, but 'bathe' is the standard form for swimming or washing others.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive when washing someone else and intransitive when swimming or washing oneself.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.