cleaning

American  

[klee-ning] / ˈkli nɪŋ /

noun

1. an act or instance of making clean.

   Give the house a good cleaning.

2. Slang. an overwhelming or complete defeat, financial loss, or failure.

   Our team took a cleaning in yesterday's game.

3. Informal. killing.

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Other Word Forms

• self-cleaning adjective

Etymology

Origin of cleaning

First recorded in 1655–75; clean + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Service charges cover the costs of buildings insurance, repairs and maintenance to the exterior of the properties, such as the cleaning of shared spaces or upkeep of communal gardens.

From BBC

Network Rail said the reopening follows detailed inspections, cleaning, repairs and operational checks.

From BBC

Since foams are widely used in products ranging from cleaning solutions to pharmaceuticals, understanding how they behave is essential for improving their performance, such as creating foams that resist drainage.

From Science Daily

McMullen is trying to cut down on costs by hiring fewer workers, which means he personally performs more intense physical labor such as cleaning grape storage bins in 100-degree heat.

From The Wall Street Journal

We will be attached to feeding and cleaning tubes in neural pods, being endlessly entertained by AI masters.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• purification
• sanitation
• sterilization
• washing