bathe

[beyth]

verb (used with object)

bathed, bathing 

1. to immerse (all or part of the body) in water or some other liquid, for cleansing, refreshment, etc.

2. to wet; wash.

3. to moisten or suffuse with any liquid.

4. to apply water or other liquid to, with a sponge, cloth, etc..

   to bathe a wound.

5. to wash over or against, as by the action of the sea, a river, etc..

   incoming tides bathing the coral reef.

6. to cover or surround.

   a shaft of sunlight bathing the room; a morning fog bathing the city.

verb (used without object)

bathed, bathing 

1. to take a bath or sunbath.

2. to swim for pleasure.

3. to be covered or surrounded as if with water.

noun

1. British.

   1. the act of bathing, especially in the sea, a lake, or a river.

   2. a swimming bath.

bathe

/ beɪð /

verb

1. (intr) to swim or paddle in a body of open water or a river, esp for pleasure

2. (tr) to apply liquid to (skin, a wound, etc) in order to cleanse or soothe

3. to immerse or be immersed in a liquid

   to bathe machine parts in oil

4. to wash in a bath

5. (tr; often passive) to suffuse

   her face was bathed with radiance

6. (tr) (of water, the sea, etc) to lap; wash

   waves bathed the shore

noun

1. a swim or paddle in a body of open water or a river

Other Word Forms

• rebathe verb
• bather noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bathe¹

before 1000; Middle English bath ( i ) en, Old English bathian, equivalent to bæth bath ¹ + -ian infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of bathe¹

Old English bathian ; related to Old Norse batha , Old High German badōn

Example Sentences

The government said its reforms to bathing water rules will help further, but campaigners said that swimming in England's rivers was still too often risky to health.

Read more on BBC

One day after the government shutdown ended , a ranger ambled down a trail in Joshua Tree National Park, bathed in golden light.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At MOCA, about 300 Angelenos braved an atmospheric river to sit in the darkened former police car warehouse bathed in red light.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Long shadows stretch over the walls, bathing the basement in darkness.

Read more on Literature

She bathed and dressed quickly, for she wanted to look at those paintings in the morning light.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• clean 
• dip 
• douse 
• immerse 
• rinse 
• scour 
• scrub 
• soak 
• steep 
• submerge 
• wet