dish-wash

A child helps by pouring dish-wash into the kitchen sink.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • Water used for washing dishes: "dish-wash" refers to the water, often soapy, in which dishes are cleaned.
   • The act or process of washing dishes: "dish-wash" can also denote the activity or routine of cleaning dishes after a meal.

2. Verb (rare or informal):

   • To wash dishes: "dish-wash" means to perform the task of cleaning plates, glasses, cutlery, and other kitchen utensils.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The sink was full of greasy dish-wash after the dinner party. (Water used for washing dishes.)
  • I hate the chore of dish-wash, but someone has to do it. (The act of washing dishes.)

• Verb:

  • She had to dish-wash for an hour after the large family meal. (To wash dishes.)

Advanced Usage

• "disposal of dish-wash": the act of pouring away the used water after washing dishes.

  • Make sure to strain the dish-wash before pouring it down the drain to avoid clogs. (The used water should be filtered.)

• "dish-wash smell": the characteristic odour of soap and food remnants in used dishwater.

  • The dish-wash smell lingered in the kitchen long after the dishes were done. (The odour of dishwater.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dishwasher (n): a machine that washes dishes automatically; also a person who washes dishes professionally.

  • The restaurant hired a new dishwasher for the evening shift. (A person who washes dishes.)

• Dishwashing (n): the activity or process of washing dishes.

  • Dishwashing is a tedious but necessary household task. (The activity of cleaning dishes.)

• Dishwater (n): a synonym for "dish-wash," referring to the water used for washing dishes.

  • The dishwater was cold and murky by the time he finished. (Water used for washing dishes.)

Synonyms

• Dishwater: water used for washing dishes.
• Suds: soapy water, often used for cleaning.
• Wash-up: the act of washing dishes (informal).

Phrasal Verbs

• Dish-wash up: to wash the dishes after a meal.
  • After the party, everyone helped to dish-wash up. (To clean the dishes.)

Related Idioms

• To look like dish-wash: to appear unappealing, murky, or unappetizing (often used for liquids).

  • The soup looked like dish-wash, so nobody wanted to try it. (The soup seemed unappetizing.)

• To throw the baby out with the dish-wash: a variant of "to throw the baby out with the bathwater," meaning to discard something valuable along with something undesirable.

  • In his rush to simplify the menu, he threw out the baby with the dish-wash and removed popular dishes. (He got rid of good things with the bad.)