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.
This makes the sea lions sick, and eventually they could wash up dead.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 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
He worries that even more detritus will wash up on the beach in the future.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
Whatever it is sends you running out of the cafeteria just as the volcano of butterflies in your belly erU pTS After Soccer Practice Go wash up.
From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander
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.
