rinse
Americanverb (used with object)
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to wash lightly, as by pouring water into or over or by dipping in water.
to rinse a cup.
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to douse or drench in clean water as a final stage in washing.
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to remove (soap, dirt, etc.) by such a process (often followed byoff ).
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to use a rinse on (the hair).
noun
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an act or instance of rinsing.
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the water used for rinsing.
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any preparation that may be used on the hair after washing, especially to tint or condition the hair.
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an act or instance of using such a preparation on the hair.
verb
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to remove soap from (clothes, etc) by applying clean water in the final stage in washing
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to wash lightly, esp without using soap
to rinse one's hands
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to give a light tint to (hair)
noun
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the act or an instance of rinsing
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hairdressing a liquid preparation put on the hair when wet to give a tint to it
a blue rinse
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rinse
1300–50; Middle English ryncen < Middle French rincer, Old French recincier < Vulgar Latin *recentiāre to make new, refresh, equivalent to Latin recent- (stem of recēns ) fresh, recent + connective -i- + -āre infinitive suffix
Explanation
When you rinse something, you run water over it. You probably at least rinse your hands before sitting down to eat, and rinse your dishes afterward. After shampooing your hair in the shower you need to rinse it, and many recipes call for you to rinse rice before cooking it. You can also rinse your mouth out, either with water or mouthwash. When it's a noun, rinse means the act of rinsing, or a hair treatment: "After the red rinse, you'll barely recognize yourself." Rinse shares the Latin root recens, "fresh or new," with recent.
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.
Some people want to grow organically — find something scalable that you can rinse, wash, repeat and grow by opening more locations, like McDonald’s or Walmart did.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
Sometimes you have a snack, and it’s easier to rinse off the plate than summon Jeeves to do it for you.
From Salon • Nov. 26, 2025
“We are passionate about finding answers for the families,” says Dr. Hourani, sipping coffee in his office while a colleague in a white hazmat suit uses a sink to rinse mud off a human pelvis.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025
You wear them like normal pants then rinse, wash and dry them for reuse.
From BBC • Sep. 23, 2025
We would take the liver, and the kidneys, and the heart, and some intestines, rinse off the blood real good, and give them to Mama or Aunt Mary.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
