washing

American  

[wosh-ing, waw-shing] / ˈwɒʃ ɪŋ, ˈwɔ ʃɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that washes; ablution.

2. clothes, linens, etc., washed or to be washed, especially those washed at one time; wash.

3. Often washings any liquid that has been used to wash something.

4. matter removed or carried off in washing something or by the force of water.

   The washings from numerous spring floods had clogged the mouth of the river.

5. Mining.

   1. material, as gold dust, obtained by washing earth, gravel, etc.

   2. the deposits so washed.

6. Metalworking. wash.

7. the act of making a wash sale.

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washing British  

/ ˈwɒʃɪŋ /

noun

1. articles that have been or are to be washed together on a single occasion

2. liquid in which an article has been washed

3. something, such as gold dust or metal ore, that has been obtained by washing

4. a thin coat of something applied in liquid form

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Etymology

Origin of washing

First recorded in 1175–1225, washing is from the Middle English word wasschunge. See wash, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

So maybe I’m cleaning up the kitchen or organizing toys, or making sure the bathroom is straight, or washing clothes while the music is blasting and we’re dancing around, having fun.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

South Korea, which imports more than two-thirds of its energy from the Gulf, has launched an energy-saving campaign, encouraging people to take shorter showers and to use washing machines only on weekends.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

One concern is that washing could create a lead-containing residue inside machines, which might need to be cleaned to prevent releasing contamination into wastewater.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026

In 2024, a glacial lake in Nepal burst, cascading into another lake that also burst, washing away Thame, the hometown of Tenzing Norgay, who, alongside Edmund Hillary, achieved the first recorded summit of Mount Everest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

In some of the thin-walled houses, it was so cold that water could freeze in a bucket before you’d finished washing.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• bath
• bathing
• laundry
• soaking