wash up

British  

verb

1. to wash (dishes, cutlery, etc) after a meal

2. (intr) to wash one's face and hands

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noun

1. the end, outcome of a process

   in the washup, three candidates were elected

wash up Idioms  

1. 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.

2. 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 .

3. 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]

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Example Sentences

Several of the birds have washed up on beaches across Scotland - about 1,000 miles from their winter home in the North Atlantic.

From BBC

Plus, a lot of garbage washes up on the shore.

From Literature

“Here, wash up,” Gloria says when I return, and she passes me a basin of water.

From Literature

“Aar, can you make sure your sisters are getting washed up for bed, please?”

From Literature

A beach in south Wales "went global" last month when news spread that 200 Victorian shoes had washed up on its shores.

From BBC

Related Words

• bankrupt
• decrease
• diminish
• drain
• empty
• expend
• impoverish
• lessen
• reduce
• sap
• squander
• undermine
• use up
• weaken