wash away
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Phrasal Verb: 1. To remove or carry off by the action of water or another liquid: To clean or eliminate something by washing, causing it to disappear or be carried away. 2. To eliminate or obliterate completely: To cause something to disappear or be removed, often in a figurative sense.
Usage Examples
- The heavy rains washed away the topsoil from the field.
- Please wash away the soap suds from the car.
- The floodwaters washed away several small bridges.
- She tried to wash away the memory of the accident. (figurative)
- The new evidence washed away all doubts about his innocence. (figurative)
Advanced Usage
- To be washed away: Used in the passive voice to describe something that has been removed or destroyed by water.
- The coastal village was washed away by the tsunami.
- Figurative use often relates to removing feelings, doubts, or differences.
- Their heartfelt apology washed away my anger.
Variants and Related Words
- Wash out (phrasal verb): Often used similarly to mean removing a stain or, literally, to be eroded by water (e.g., ).
- Erode (verb): To gradually wear away, typically by water, wind, or ice.
- Obliterate (verb): To destroy completely; wipe out.
Synonyms
- Eradicate
- Remove
- Eliminate
- Erode
- Flush away
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Wash out: To remove a stain; to cause an event to be canceled due to rain.
- I can't wash out this ink stain.
- The baseball game was washed out.
- Wash off: To clean something from a surface by washing.
- He washed off the mud from his boots.
Related Idioms
- A clean slate: A fresh start, as if past errors have been washed away.
- The pardon gave him a clean slate.
- Water under the bridge: Past events that are over and no longer important, as if carried away by flowing water.
- Our old argument is just water under the bridge now.
Verb
- remove by the application of water or other liquid and soap or some other cleaning agent
- he washed the dirt from his coat
- The nurse washed away the blood
- Can you wash away the spots on the windows?
- he managed to wash out the stains
- eliminate
- wash away all the differences