washout

[ wosh-out, wawsh- ]

noun

1. a washing out of earth, gravel, etc., by water, as from an embankment or a roadway by heavy rain or by a flash flood.
2. the hole, break, or erosion produced by such a washing out.
3. Also wash-out. Aeronautics. a warp in an airfoil that gives a decrease in the angle of attack toward the tip. Compare washin.
4. rainout.
5. Informal. an utter failure.
6. Informal. a person who has failed a course of training or study:

   air force washouts.

Word History and Origins

Origin of washout¹

First recorded in 1870–75; noun use of verb phrase wash out

Example Sentences

The weekend won’t be a washout, but we’ll run a chance for showers and storms both days.

From Washington Post

His second was a washout because of the coronavirus pandemic.

From Washington Post

On Wednesday's Late Show With David Letterman, Tom Brokaw dismissed Snowden as "a high school dropout who is a military washout."

From The Daily Beast

When the washout bowl was introduced it was considered perfection.

From Project Gutenberg

He hurried down the track west of a curve which was a few hundred feet beyond the washout, and saw the train coming at full speed.

From Project Gutenberg

One day as they lay in a washout, Wolf-Voice pointed to columns of dust far to the south.

From Project Gutenberg

Right here there was a small washout in 84 the road, and Bob overlooked it.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a mile or more to the washout in the road, but the excitement made him keen for the test.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• disaster
• fiasco