bleach

/bli:tʃ/

Friendly

Word: Bleach

Part of Speech: Noun and Verb

Meaning:

1. As a Noun:

   • Bleach refers to a substance (often a chemical) that makes things whiter or removes color. It's commonly used for laundry to whiten clothes or remove stains.
   • It can also refer to the act of making something whiter, often by exposing it to sunlight or using a chemical agent.

2. As a Verb:

   • To bleach means to make something whiter or lighter, usually by using a special chemical or by exposing it to sunlight.
   • Example: "I will bleach the laundry to make it look cleaner."

Usage Instructions:

• When to use as a noun: Use "bleach" when talking about the substance itself or the process of whitening.
• When to use as a verb: Use "bleach" when describing the action of making something whiter or removing color.

Examples:

• Noun: "I need to buy bleach to clean my white clothes."
• Verb: "I want to bleach my old t-shirt to remove the stains."

Advanced Usage:

• In professional settings, "bleach" can refer to specific types of chemicals used in industries such as textile, hairdressing, or cleaning.
• Example: "The salon uses a special bleach for hair that lightens the color without damaging it."

Word Variants:

• Bleaching (noun): The process of using bleach.
• Bleached (adjective): Describes something that has been whitened or had its color removed.
  • Example: "The bleached fabric is much brighter than before."

Different Meanings:

• In a non-literal sense, "bleach" can also refer to something that removes color or vibrancy from life or emotions.
  • Example: "The constant stress of work can bleach the joy out of your daily life."

Synonyms:

• As a noun: whitener, decolorizer.
• As a verb: lighten, whiten, fade, wash out.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• Phrasal Verb: "Bleach out" - to remove color from something, often used to describe colors fading due to sun exposure.

  • Example: "The sun bleached out the colors of the curtains."

• Idiom: While there isn’t a common idiom that directly uses "bleach," you might come across phrases that imply loss of vibrancy or color in life, such as "feeling washed out."

Summary:

"Bleach" is a useful word in English that refers to both a substance used for whitening and the action of making something lighter in color.

Academic

Noun

1. the act of whitening something by bleaching it (exposing it to sunlight or using a chemical bleaching agent)
2. an agent that makes things white or colorless
3. the whiteness that results from removing the color from something
   • a complete bleach usually requires several applications

Verb

1. make whiter or lighter
   • bleach the laundry
2. remove color from
   • The sun bleached the red shirt

Synonyms

• bleaching agent
• blanching agent
• whitener