bleach
n. uncountablen. a strong white liquid used to clean clothes and remove stains. You use it to make dark colors lighter or to kill germs on surfaces.
n. a chemical agent, typically sodium hypochlorite, used to whiten fabrics, remove stains, and disinfect surfaces. Commonly sold as a liquid solution.
Add some bleach to the washing machine.
She used a small amount of bleach to remove the red wine stain from her white shirt.
The hospital protocol requires staff to dilute the industrial bleach before mopping the floors to ensure patient safety without damaging the surface finish.
From Middle English blechen, from Old English blǣċan (“to bleach, whiten”), from Proto-West Germanic blaikijan, from Proto-Germanic blaikijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine”). Cognate with Dutch bleken (“to bleach”), German bleichen (“to bleach”), Danish blege, Swedish bleka (“to bleach”). Related to Old English blāc (“pale”) (English blake; compare also bleak).
From Middle English bleche, from Old English blǣċu, blǣċo (“paleness, pallor”), from Proto-Germanic *blaikį̄ (“paleness”). See Etymology 1 above.
From Middle English bleche (also bleke), from Old English blǣċ, blǣc, variants of blāc (“bright, shining, glittering”), from Proto-West Germanic blaik, from Proto-Germanic blaikaz (“pale, shining”). More at bleak.
From Middle English bleche, from Old English blǣċe (“irritation of the skin, leprosy; psoriasis”).