What does "bleach" mean?

1. (cleaning chemical) a strong liquid chemical used for cleaning, killing germs, or making clothes white. 2. (to whiten or lighten) to make something whiter or lighter using chemicals or by leaving it in the sun. 3. (coral/biology) when coral turns white because the water is too warm or the environment is unhealthy. 4. (to remove meaning) to take away the feeling, power, or meaning from something.

How do you use "bleach"?

Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; countable when referring to specific brands or types. Can be used transitively with an object or intransitively to describe a natural process. Usually used in the context of marine biology and environmental science.

bleach

n. · v.

US //ˈbɫitʃ// UK //blˈiːtʃ// bleach

1 cleaning chemical (n.)
B1 Intermediate

a strong liquid chemical used for cleaning, killing germs, or making clothes white.

a chemical solution, often containing sodium hypochlorite, used for disinfection or the removal of pigment from textiles and surfaces.

Example

You should use a little bleach to get the stains out of those white towels.

Example

The janitor used a diluted solution of bleach to ensure the laboratory surfaces were thoroughly disinfected after the experiment.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; countable when referring to specific brands or types.
- disinfectant
- whitener
- dye
2 to whiten or lighten (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to make something whiter or lighter using chemicals or by leaving it in the sun.

to remove color from a substrate, such as fabric or hair, through chemical treatment or exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Example

The sun will bleach the wood of the deck over time if you don't paint it.

Example

She decided to bleach her hair before applying the bright blue dye to ensure the color appeared as vivid as possible.

Usage

Can be used transitively with an object or intransitively to describe a natural process.
- whiten
- blanch
- fade
- darken
- dye

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3 coral/biology (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Science

when coral turns white because the water is too warm or the environment is unhealthy.

to lose color due to the expulsion of symbiotic algae, typically as a stress response to increased water temperatures.

Example

Rising ocean temperatures cause the coral reefs to bleach and eventually die.

Example

Marine biologists observed that the reef began to bleach rapidly following the unprecedented heatwave in the Pacific.

Usage

Usually used in the context of marine biology and environmental science.
- pale
4 to remove meaning (v.)
C2 Proficiency Literary

to take away the feeling, power, or meaning from something.

to divest something of its original meaning, character, or emotional intensity.

Example

The politician's speech was so repetitive that it seemed to bleach the words of all meaning.

Example

Years of bureaucratic repetition had served to bleach the original revolutionary fervor from the party's manifesto.

Etymology 1

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).

Etymology 2

From Middle English bleche, from Old English blǣċu, blǣċo (“paleness, pallor”), from Proto-Germanic *blaikį̄ (“paleness”). See Etymology 1 above.

Etymology 3

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.

Etymology 4

From Middle English bleche, from Old English blǣċe (“irritation of the skin, leprosy; psoriasis”).