What does "washing" mean?

1. (laundry) clothes, sheets, or towels that are being washed or need to be washed. 2. (the act of cleaning) the process of cleaning something using water and often soap. 3. (market manipulation) a dishonest way of trading stocks to make it look like there is more activity than there really is. 4. (mining process) the process of separating valuable metals from dirt or rocks using water.

How do you use "washing"?

Usually used as an uncountable noun. Often referred to as 'wash trading' in modern financial contexts.

washing

US //ˈwɑʃɪŋ// UK //wˈɒʃɪŋ// wash·ing

1 laundry (n.)
A2 Elementary British English

clothes, sheets, or towels that are being washed or need to be washed.

clothing, bedlinen, or other textiles that have been, are being, or are about to be laundered.

Example

I need to hang the washing out on the line before it starts to rain.

Example

The heavy scent of detergent filled the air as she carried a basket of damp washing to the garden.

Usage

Usually used as an uncountable noun.
- laundry
- linens
2 the act of cleaning (n.)
A2 Elementary

the process of cleaning something using water and often soap.

the action or process of cleaning something with water or another liquid.

Example

The car really needs a good washing after that long trip through the mud.

Example

Regular washing of the hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of seasonal illnesses.

Show 2 more sensesShow fewer

3 market manipulation (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Formal Law

a dishonest way of trading stocks to make it look like there is more activity than there really is.

a fraudulent transaction where an investor simultaneously buys and sells the same financial instruments to create artificial market activity.

Example

The company was investigated for washing to trick other investors into buying their stock.

Example

Regulators identified several instances of washing where the high volume of trades was merely a facade to manipulate the share price.

Usage

Often referred to as 'wash trading' in modern financial contexts.
- wash trading
4 mining process (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Science

the process of separating valuable metals from dirt or rocks using water.

the process of separating precious metals or ores from lighter waste material by means of a liquid.

Example

The miners spent all day at the washing, hoping to find small bits of gold.

Example

The efficiency of the ore washing determined the overall profitability of the mining operation during the dry season.
- panning
- sluicing

Etymology 1

From Middle English waschynge, weschynge, from Old English weasċing, wæsċing (attested in weasċingweġ), from Proto-West Germanic *waskingu, equivalent to wash + -ing. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Waaskenge (“washing”), West Frisian wasking (“washing”), Dutch wassing (“washing”), German Waschung (“washing”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English waschyng, wasschynge, wasschinge, wesschinge, wassende, from Old English wasċende, wæsċende, from Proto-West Germanic waskandī, from Proto-Germanic waskandz (“washing”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *waskaną (“to wash”), equivalent to wash + -ing. Cognate with Dutch wassend, German waschend, Swedish vaskande.