noun
washing
WAH-shing/ˈwɑːʃɪŋ/
The act of cleaning with water or another liquid.
The muddy plate needs a thorough washing under running water.
Etymology
The ending turns the cleansing verb into the name of an activity. Old English already had this action noun for washing clothes; the selected sense covers cleaning with liquid more generally.
In context
a large volume of waste water is generated from stages such as root washing, grinding, sedimentation, and filtration.
More examples
- Regular hand washing helps prevent the spread of germs.
- This sweater keeps its shape after many washings.
- The car needs washing after our trip down the muddy road.
Forms
washing · washings
wash verb — To clean with water or another liquid.
Similar words
- cleaning
- Removes dirt by any method, not necessarily with liquid.
- rinsing
- Uses water to remove residue, usually without thorough scrubbing.
- laundering
- Refers specifically to washing clothes and other fabrics.