wash

C1 · Advanced Informal

v. to be believable or to seem true when someone explains something.

v. to withstand scrutiny or be accepted as valid; almost exclusively used in the negative.

“He said he was late because of a dragon, but that excuse won't wash with the teacher.”

“The CEO's claims of ignorance regarding the accounting errors simply did not wash with the regulatory committee.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. when moving water moves or removes something from its place.

v. to carry, erode, or remove by the forceful motion of water.

“The heavy rain threatened to wash the seeds away from the garden.”

“The coastal road was gradually washed away by decades of relentless tidal erosion and winter storms.”

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a group of clothes that need to be cleaned or have just been cleaned.

n. a batch of clothes or linens laundered at one time.

“I have a huge wash to do this weekend because I have no clean socks left.”

“She hung the Monday wash on the line, taking advantage of the brisk wind and clear skies.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Finance Informal

n. a situation where the good and bad things are equal, so there is no change.

n. a situation in which losses and gains balance each other out, resulting in no net change.

“The extra money I earned was spent on petrol, so the trip was a wash.”

“While the new contract offers a higher salary, the increased cost of living in the city makes the move a wash financially.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Nautical

n. the movement of water behind a boat or waves hitting the shore.

n. the surge of water caused by the motion of a vessel or the breaking of waves.

“The wash from the passing ferry made our small boat rock violently.”

“The captain reduced speed near the marina to minimize the wash and prevent damage to the moored yachts.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Art

n. a thin, watery layer of paint or colour spread over a surface.

n. a thin, translucent coat of paint or ink, typically applied over a large area in a single movement.

“The artist applied a light blue wash to the top of the paper to create the sky.”

“The watercolorist used a broad wash of ochre to establish the base tone of the desert landscape before adding finer details.”