wipe

[wahyp]

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verb (used with object), wiped, wip·ing.

to rub lightly with or on a cloth, towel, paper, the hand, etc., in order to clean or dry the surface of: He wiped the furniture with a damp cloth.

to rub or draw (something) over a surface, as in cleaning or drying.

to remove by rubbing with or on something (usually followed by away, off, out, etc.): Wipe the dirt off your shoes. Wipe the dust from the pictures.

to remove as if by rubbing (usually followed by away, off, etc.): Wipe that smile off your face!

to erase, as from existence or memory (often followed by from): to wipe a thought from one's mind.

to erase (magnetic tape, a recording, etc.)
to delete the entire contents and settings of (a digital storage device, mobile device, etc.):She remotely wiped her computer after it was stolen.

Plumbing.

to apply (solder in a semifluid state) by spreading with leather or cloth over the part to be soldered.
to form (a joint) in this manner.

Machinery. (of a rotating shaft or the like) to melt the brasses of (a bearing) through friction.

Australian Slang. to refuse to have anything to do with; reject; dismiss.

noun

an act of wiping: He gave a few quick wipes to the furniture.

a rub, as of one thing over another.

Also called wipe-off. Movies. a technique in film editing by which the projected image of a scene appears to be pushed or wiped off the screen by the image that follows.

a piece of absorbent material, as of paper or cloth, used for wiping.

a sweeping stroke or blow.

a gibe.

Machinery. wiper(def 5).

Slang. a handkerchief.

Verb Phrases

wipe out,

to destroy completely; demolish: The entire city was wiped out.
Informal.to murder; kill: They wiped him out to keep him from testifying.
Slang.to beat decisively, as in sports.
Slang.(in sports) to be taken out of competition by a fall, accident, collision, etc.
Slang.to intoxicate or cause to become high, especially on narcotic drugs.

wipe up, to clean completely by wiping: to wipe up the mess on the floor.

Origin of wipe

before 1000; Middle English (v.), Old English wīpian; cognate with Old High German wīfan to wind round, Gothic weipan to crown; perhaps akin to Latin vibrāre to move to and fro

Synonyms for wipe

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wipe ON THESAURUS.COM

4. erase, eradicate, banish.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for wipe

dry, obliterate, rub, mop, remove, wash, erase, clean, dust, sponge, clear, towel

Examples from the Web for wipe

Contemporary Examples of wipe

As Kate was driven away, she appeared to wipe a tear from her eye.
Tearful Kate Weeps After Meeting Mother Whose Baby Died
Tom Sykes
November 25, 2014
Some locations even employ chlorine mats that service members are required to wipe their feet on in order to enter.
U.S. Soldiers Get Just Four Hours of Ebola Training
Tim Mak
October 17, 2014
An agent insisted they proceed anyway and she asked to go to the bathroom, apparently to wipe the stuff off her hands.
The Mystery Woman Who Tried to Outdo Dillinger
Michael Daly
September 29, 2014
In the winter, they can shield drivers from the annoyance of having to wipe snow and ice off their windshields.
Paved Paradise
The Daily Beast
September 24, 2014
The trucking roads make it easier for predators to wipe out prey.
Our Trip to The Climate War's Ground Zero
Darren Aronofsky
September 19, 2014

Historical Examples of wipe

But the way they'll find it out will be in an explosion that will wipe them out.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
Then wipe the meat carefully and brown it on all sides in the fat.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 3
Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Wipe them with a dry cloth, and season them with salt and cayenne pepper.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Eliza Leslie
Clean two fine fresh mackerel, and wipe them dry with a cloth.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Eliza Leslie
When it is done, take it out, lay it on its claws to drain, and then wipe it dry.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Eliza Leslie

British Dictionary definitions for wipe

wipe

verb (tr)

to rub (a surface or object) lightly, esp with (a cloth, hand, etc), as in removing dust, water, grime, etc

(usually foll by off, away, from, up, etc) to remove by or as if by rubbing lightlyhe wiped the dirt from his hands

to eradicate or cancel (a thought, memory, etc)

to erase a recording from (an audio or video tape)

Australian informal to abandon or reject (a person)

to apply (oil, grease, etc) by wiping

to form (a joint between two lead pipes) with solder or soft lead

wipe the floor with someone informal to defeat someone decisively

noun

the act or an instance of wiping

(in film editing) an effect causing the transition from one scene to the next in which the image of the first scene appears to be wiped off the screen by that of the second

dialect a sweeping blow or stroke

British dialect a gibe or jeer

obsolete a slang name for handkerchief

Word Origin for wipe

Old English wīpian, related to Middle Low German wīpen, wīp bundle (of cloth), Old High German wīffa, wīfan to wind, Gothic weipan to wreathe

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for wipe

Old English wipan, from Proto-Germanic *wipanan (cf. Danish vippe, Middle Dutch, Dutch vippen, Old High German wifan "to swing"), from PIE *weip- "to turn, vacillate, tremble" (cf. Latin vibrare "to shake;" see vibrate).

"disposable absorbent tissue," 1971, from wipe (v.).

Idioms and Phrases with wipe

wipe

In addition to the idioms beginning with wipe

wipe off the map
wipe out
wipe the slate clean

also see:

mop up (wipe) the floor with
settle (wipe out) an old score