wash up
Britishverb
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to wash (dishes, cutlery, etc) after a meal
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(intr) to wash one's face and hands
noun
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Wash one's hands and face, as in It's time to wash up for dinner . [First half of 1900s] Also see clean up , def. 2.
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Clean the utensils after a meal, as in I'll cook dinner if you promise to wash up . [Mid-1700s] Also see do the dishes .
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Bring about the end or ruin of; finish. This usage is often used put in the passive, be washed up , as in She's all washed up as a singer . [ Colloquial ; early 1900s]
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.
In the months since, teams of volunteers have joined in efforts to collect the microplastics that continue to wash up on north-east England's coast.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
“I had to visit each and every one of those and, you know, just kind of wash up the memories.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
"It's quite an inconvenience that we can't wash up, use the toilet, or do things like that," said 53-year economist Claudio Pittia.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
A jellyfish-like creature called Velella velella, also known as by-the-wind sailors, can wash up on West Coast shores and are usually harmless to people.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026
“You’d think they’d at least offer to wash up since they had nothing to do with the cooking,” she said in a low voice.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
