wipe

wipe Definition

wipe (wīp)

transitive verb wiped, wip′·ing

1. to rub or pass over with a cloth, mop, etc., as for cleaning or drying
2. to clean or dry in this manner wipe the dishes
to rub or pass (a cloth, the hand, etc.) over something
to apply by wiping wipe oil over the surface
to remove by or as by wiping: with away, off, up, out
to form (a joint in lead pipe) by applying liquid solder and rubbing with a leather pad, greased cloth, etc.

Etymology: ME wipen < OE wipian, akin to OHG wīfan, to wind around < IE *weib-, to turn, twist, turning motion: see vibrate

noun

an act or instance of wiping
something used for wiping; specif., a disposable tissue or towel, typically of already-moistened paper and variously designed for cleansing the skin, cleaning eyeglasses, etc.
Film, TV a transitional editing effect in which one scene appears to replace another as by gradually moving it across the frame
Slang
1. a blow; swipe
2. a gibe; jeer

wipe Idioms

wipe out

to remove; erase
to kill off
to destroy or demolish
Slang
1. to be capsized by a wave in surfing
2. to slip and fall, lose control and skid, etc.
3. ☆ to suffer an overwhelming defeat, ruinous failure, etc.
4. ☆ to make emotionally or physically drained or exhausted

wipe Synonyms

rub, clean, dry, dust, mop, clear, wash, swab, soak up, obliterate.

wipe Usage Examples

Object

slate: The new headteacher thought wisely to wipe the slate clean.
perspiration: Mr. Percival Jones wiped the perspiration from his brow.
sweat: Eleanor watched as her mother spread dust across her forehead as she wiped the sweat away.
smirk: But a couple of startling strikes from Martin Carruthers and Steve Torpey inside nine first-half minutes wiped the smirks off Swansea faces.
tear: Who is going to wipe the tears of the innocent children?
grin: The_Oldie Dec 5 2005, 05:54 PM There are going to be a lot of smug grins wiped off the faces of EAs.

Noun phrase with adjective complement

Adjective complement

Followed by an intransitive particle

out: The bright time was wiped out by a shadow.
off: Lightly massage over the skin, then wipe off with a tissue or rinse with water.
away: It's not for us to promise the New Jerusalem or to promise to wipe away all the tears.

Followed by a transitive particle

Particle object:

dinosaur: Why did God even need to wipe out dinosaurs?
malaria: This contrasts with parts of Europe, which had the resources to wipe out malaria in the 1950s.
colony: Diseases: The number of bumblebees has also been reduced by deadly diseases which can wipe out entire colonies.
debt: Jesus uses the picture of wiping out a monetary debt that someone owes us.

Particle object:

Particle object:

tear: She was still shaking with laughter and wiping away the tears as the parrot delivered its message.

Preposition: with

wipe Quotes

What is a modern poet's fate? To write his thoughts upon a slate; The critic spits on what is done, Gives it a wipeöand all isgone.

—Honorius of Autun

Browse dictionary entries near wipe