washout
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A person who is a failure or disappointment: Someone who is unsuccessful, especially in a specific role or endeavor.
- An event or thing that is a complete failure: An event, project, or product that fails to meet expectations or is unsuccessful.
- The erosion or removal of soil, gravel, or other material by the force of flowing water: The process by which water washes away earth.
- A channel, gully, or hole created by such erosion: The physical result or break in the ground caused by water washing material away.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Person):
- After failing the final exam three times, he was considered a total washout from the engineering program.
- The new recruit was a washout; he couldn't keep up with the basic training.
- Noun (Event/Thing):
- The product launch was a complete washout due to poor marketing.
- We planned a picnic, but the rainstorm turned it into a washout.
- Noun (Process/Erosion):
- Heavy rains caused significant washout on the hillside, exposing tree roots.
- The washout of the newly seeded lawn was disheartening to watch.
- Noun (Resulting Channel/Hole):
- The flood created a deep washout in the middle of the dirt road.
- Crews worked to fill the washout before more rain could make it worse.
Advanced Usage
- "to be a washout": To be a complete failure.
- The much-hyped festival was a total washout; only a handful of people showed up.
- "washout period": In scientific or medical trials, a period where a treatment is stopped so its effects can disappear before a new one begins.
- The study design included a two-week washout period between drug phases.
Variants and Related Words
- Wash out (phrasal verb): To be removed or to remove something by washing; to fail and be removed from a course or position.
- The stain will wash out easily.
- Many cadets wash out in the first month of training.
- Washed-out (adjective): Pale and tired-looking; faded from washing.
- She looked washed-out after being ill.
- He wore a pair of old, washed-out jeans.
Synonyms
- Failure: A lack of success.
- Disappointment: Someone or something that fails to meet hopes or expectations.
- Fiasco: A complete and ridiculous failure.
- Erosion: The process of being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents.
- Gully: A water-worn ravine.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Wash out: See 'Variants and Related Words' above.
- Wash away: To remove or carry away by the action of water.
- The bridge was washed away in the flood.
Related Idioms
- A dead loss: A complete failure or useless person/thing.
- That old car is a dead loss; it will never run again.
- To come to nothing: To end without success or result.
- All their careful planning came to nothing when the funding was cut.
Noun
- someone who is unsuccessful
- the erosive process of washing away soil or gravel by water (as from a roadway)
- from the house they watched the washout of their newly seeded lawn by the water
- the channel or break produced by erosion of relatively soft soil by water
- it was several days after the storm before they could repair the washout and open the road