- present participle of wash.
washing
Americannoun
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washings
plural
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the act of a person or thing that washes; ablution.
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clothes, linens, etc., washed or to be washed, especially those washed at one time; wash.
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Often washings any liquid that has been used to wash something.
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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.
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Mining.
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material, as gold dust, obtained by washing earth, gravel, etc.
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the deposits so washed.
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Metalworking. wash.
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the act of making a wash sale.
noun
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articles that have been or are to be washed together on a single occasion
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liquid in which an article has been washed
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something, such as gold dust or metal ore, that has been obtained by washing
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a thin coat of something applied in liquid form
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of washing
First recorded in 1175–1225, washing is from the Middle English word wasschunge. See wash, -ing 1
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.
See Examples For:
They include steel, aluminum, clothing, smartphones and other electronics, fish, dishwashers, washing machines, and stoves.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
While fixing the plastic connectors on his washing machine struts, which are like suspension rods for the appliance, he first printed a test part and then made adjustments before printing the rest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
And during the middle of it, I saw that she was wearing yellow rubber gloves with soap coming off because she was doing the washing up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
While his bloodshot eyes "seemed OK" after washing them, Jodanna said by the next morning they were extremely swollen and he was unable to open them, so she took Hudson to hospital.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Mim dropped the key into a turquoise-colored bowl before washing her hands in the sink.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
When they couldn’t identify any known cold virus, they inoculated adult volunteers with extracts from the nasal washings to confirm that something in the samples caused colds.
From Science Magazine ● Jan. 11, 2024
Do not let the stained fabric dry out between washings!
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2022
A comfortable, nonslip grip and the ability to stand up to many uses and washings are other considerations.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 23, 2020
Cloth masks are also reusable and durable, and even after regular washings, they maintain their effectiveness.
From New York Times ● Nov. 18, 2020
Many washings had faded their color and dimmed their outlines.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
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.
