wash out

British  

verb

1. (tr) to wash (the inside of something) so as to remove (dirt)

2. Also: wash off.  to remove or be removed by washing

   grass stains don't wash out easily

3. (tr) to cancel or abandon (a sporting event)

---

noun

1. geology

   1. erosion of the earth's surface by the action of running water

   2. a narrow channel produced by this erosion

2. informal

   1. a total failure or disaster

   2. an incompetent person

3. a sporting or social event that is cancelled due to rain

4. aeronautics a decrease in the angle of attack of an aircraft wing towards the wing tip

wash out Idioms  

1. Remove or be removed by washing; also, cause to fade by laundering. For example, Give it to me; I'll wash out that stain , or The bleach has really washed out that bright print . [Mid-1700s]

2. Wear away or be worn away by the flow of water, as in The river rose and washed out the dam , or The road has completely washed out . [Mid-1700s]

3. Deplete or be depleted of energy, as in Working on her feet all day just washed her out , or I just washed out after that long tennis match . [Mid-1800s]

4. Eliminate or be eliminated as unsatisfactory, as in He washed out of medical school after just one year , or After only two months as chairman I washed out . [ Colloquial ; early 1900s]

5. Cancel owing to bad weather, as in The picnic was washed out . [ Colloquial ; early 1900s] Also see washed out .

---

Example Sentences

MarketWatch: Can traders actually fix their psychological issues, or do most just wash out?

From MarketWatch

Even though it’s out of my way, I like to make sure this path stays as clean as possible, so none of the garbage washes out to sea.

From Literature

There’s a little ledge where the rock meets the dirt, and the rain maybe washed out a tiny cave under it, and in that ridiculously small cave is a dog.

From Literature

With sentiment washed out and long-term trends still intact, these international laggards may be closer to a turning point than a breakdown.

From Barron's

Unamuno's first thoughts were that La Guaira was experiencing another natural disaster, 26 years ago after a landslide of biblical proportions swept away 10,000 people, many of them washed out to sea.

From Barron's

Related Words

• break down
• break up
• come apart
• crumble
• decay
• decompose
• degenerate
• descend
• disband
• dismantle
• rot
• sever
• shatter
• sink
• splinter
• wither