bathe

American  

[beyth] / beɪð /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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noun

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

Other Word Forms

• bather noun
• rebathe verb

Etymology

Origin of bathe

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

Example Sentences

Like all Cubans, Flores saves water in a tank, rationing it for drinking, cooking, washing and bathing.

From The Wall Street Journal

At moments, poignant domestic intimacies such as cooking and bathing threaten to break the detente and let in some emotion.

From The Wall Street Journal

Rows of lime-green mats were filled with children in pajamas, bathing suits and pint-size yoga pants.

From The Wall Street Journal

Jacks was guilty of the worst drop on a tour where fingers have been bathed in butter.

From BBC

Older adults experienced greater difficulty regaining independence in daily activities, including feeding, bathing, managing bladder and bowel function, and moving around.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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