wipe
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.
(in a video game) to suffer a defeat in which all cooperative player characters in a group are killed: After hours in that dungeon, our group wiped and we had to start again from the beginning.
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).
(in a video game) a defeat in which all cooperative player characters in a group are killed: a total party wipe.
Slang. a handkerchief.
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
1Other words for wipe
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use wipe in a sentence
Sanitizing hand wipes with alcohol as their key ingredient should also work.
Need to remove sap from asphalt? Get out the hand sanitizer. | Jeanne Huber | November 30, 2020 | Washington PostSo when he travels across the country now, he packs sanitizing wipes and masks.
One man’s urgent mission: Photographing World War II veterans before they’re gone | Jessica Contrera | November 11, 2020 | Washington PostIf you’re looking for an example of Clorox’s long-standing culture of innovation, look no further than the wipes currently selling like hotcakes.
How Clorox’s new CEO plans to turn disinfectant wipes into future wins | Phil Wahba | October 21, 2020 | FortuneFast-forward to now, and the wipes anchor Clorox’s cleaning business, a source of nearly a third of company revenue and its biggest unit.
How Clorox’s new CEO plans to turn disinfectant wipes into future wins | Phil Wahba | October 21, 2020 | FortuneI take a make-up wipe and clean my whole face then apply a clear mask instead of a sheet one so I don’t look crazy to the people around me!
Here’s The Beauty Routine Behind Laura Harrier’s Flawless Skin | Allison McGevna | October 5, 2020 | Essence.com
I lie and nod my head yes while wiping the tears on my gray fleece sleeve.
I was mortified and ended up wiping the makeup off my face as soon as I got a chance.
He stuck the barrel of the gun out his window and started wiping it down with a rag.
A Shooting on a Tribal Land Uncovers Feds Running Wild | Caitlin Dickson | August 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“She walked around the cabin with her glass of wine, finishing the wine, then wiping off the glass,” Clark says.
A Colombian coffee plantation teaches a valuable lesson in the fight to keep a dreaded disease from wiping out our favorite brew.
Sarah was standing on the porch again wiping her hands on her apron, looking away toward the fields.
The Bondboy | George W. (George Washington) OgdenHe put on his soft hat and nervously took it off again, and wiping his face with his handkerchief, complained of the heat.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinAnother singer has just finished his turn, and comes out of the smoky hall, wiping the perspiration from his short, fat neck.
The Real Latin Quarter | F. Berkeley SmithWiping his chin inexpertly with the back of a grizzled hand, he looked up and eyed his visitor interrogatively.
Elizabeth left the room, wiping her eyes, and Poynter sat down beside the doctor, and shook hands.
The Bag of Diamonds | George Manville Fenn
British Dictionary definitions for wipe
/ (waɪp) /
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 lightly: he 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
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
Origin of wipe
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with 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
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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