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bleach definition

bleach (blēc̸h)

transitive verb

  1. to remove color from by means of chemicals or by exposure to the sun's rays
  2. to whiten; blanch

Etymology: ME blechen < OE blǣcan < IE *bhlēig-, to gleam (> bleak) < base *bhel-, to gleam > black, ON blikja, turn pale

intransitive verb

to become white, colorless, or pale

noun

  1. a bleaching or whitening
  2. any substance used for bleaching
  3. the degree of whiteness resulting from bleaching

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

bleach Synonyms

bleach

v.

blanch, fade, wash out, whiten, lighten, etiolate, achromatize, decolorize.

Antonyms color*, dye*, stain.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

bleach Usage Examples

Object

  • dyeing: New Mills became an important center for cotton spinning, bleaching, dyeing and printing.

Converse of object

  • dilute: Prompt cleaning and disinfection with dilute bleach of any area contaminated by vomit.

Subject

  • sun: After cleaning the straw is then boiled or ' cooked ' before being dried and bleached by the sun.

Adjective modifier

  • diluted: Cleaning the affected area with diluted bleach or sodium bicarbonate solution will aid the removal of these growths.

Modifies a noun

  • bottle: Please wash all bleach bottles to prevent the loaders from receiving chemical burns.

Noun used with modifier

  • hypochlorite: In fact the only means of detoxification at this time was by oxidation with hypochlorite bleaches.

Adjective complement

  • white: Set into a private area of the estate, the cottage is built of native stone, bleached white.

Preposition: in

  • sun: Wool was usually dyed after the fleece had been washed, whereas linen was bleached in the sun to make it whiter.

Preposition: by

  • sun: After cleaning the straw is then boiled or ' cooked ' before being dried and bleached by the sun.
bleach usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

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"bleach." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 2 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/bleach>

APA Style

bleach. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 2nd, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/bleach

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