- present participle of wash.
washing
Americannoun
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washings
plural
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the act of a person or thing that washes; ablution.
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clothes, linens, etc., washed or to be washed, especially those washed at one time; wash.
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Often washings any liquid that has been used to wash something.
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matter removed or carried off in washing something or by the force of water.
The washings from numerous spring floods had clogged the mouth of the river.
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Mining.
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material, as gold dust, obtained by washing earth, gravel, etc.
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the deposits so washed.
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Metalworking. wash.
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the act of making a wash sale.
noun
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articles that have been or are to be washed together on a single occasion
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liquid in which an article has been washed
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something, such as gold dust or metal ore, that has been obtained by washing
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a thin coat of something applied in liquid form
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of washing
First recorded in 1175–1225, washing is from the Middle English word wasschunge. See wash, -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
When I pay a cleaning fee, I expect someone to handle the work of preparing a property for its next occupants: washing linens, scrubbing bathrooms, cleaning floors.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
What’s out: Stripping the bed, taking trash off-site, washing or putting away dishes and other tasks that require significant effort or time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
For one sequence, he sends Robins in character onto Alvarado Boulevard to try to earn cash by forcibly washing strangers’ windshields — during a rain shower.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
She said instead of keeping hot water on a timer, she only switched it on when she needed it for washing, cooking or bathing before turning it off again.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
How did it explain a childhood passion for washing money?
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
When they couldn’t identify any known cold virus, they inoculated adult volunteers with extracts from the nasal washings to confirm that something in the samples caused colds.
From Science Magazine ● Jan. 11, 2024
Do not let the stained fabric dry out between washings!
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2022
The best options are simple to open, a breeze to clean and hardy enough to stand up to repeated washings.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 23, 2020
Cloth masks are also reusable and durable, and even after regular washings, they maintain their effectiveness.
From New York Times ● Nov. 18, 2020
Many washings had faded their color and dimmed their outlines.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
