rinse
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to wash lightly, as by pouring water into or over or by dipping in water.
to rinse a cup.
-
to douse or drench in clean water as a final stage in washing.
-
to remove (soap, dirt, etc.) by such a process (often followed byoff ).
-
to use a rinse on (the hair).
noun
-
an act or instance of rinsing.
-
the water used for rinsing.
-
any preparation that may be used on the hair after washing, especially to tint or condition the hair.
-
an act or instance of using such a preparation on the hair.
verb
-
to remove soap from (clothes, etc) by applying clean water in the final stage in washing
-
to wash lightly, esp without using soap
to rinse one's hands
-
to give a light tint to (hair)
noun
-
the act or an instance of rinsing
-
hairdressing a liquid preparation put on the hair when wet to give a tint to it
a blue rinse
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
prerinsenoun
-
rinsabilitynoun
-
rinseabilitynoun
-
rinsernoun
-
rinsableadjective
-
rinseableadjective
-
unrinsedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
rinsesimple
-
rinsessimple
-
have rinsedperfect
-
has rinsedperfect
-
am rinsingprogressive
-
are rinsingprogressive
-
is rinsingprogressive
-
have been rinsingperfect progressive
-
has been rinsingperfect progressive
Past
-
rinsedsimple
-
had rinsedperfect
-
was rinsingprogressive
-
were rinsingprogressive
-
had been rinsingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Rinse and repeat the process as the years pass.
From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026
Rinse and repeat until you disconnect from the VPN.
From Salon • Nov. 26, 2025
Rinse your mouth after you eat, and drink water regularly to help increase your saliva production and counter some of the effects of erosion.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 19, 2024
As well as supporting water conservation projects around the world, Finish’s Skip The Rinse campaign encourages consumers to save water through simple actions, including skipping the rinse before loading their dishwashers.
From National Geographic • Feb. 6, 2024
Rinse thoroughly, cover with boiling salted water, and boil until done.
From The Myrtle Reed Cook Book by Reed, Myrtle
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.
