Wegwischen

Wegwischen is a German verb meaning to wipe away or wipe off something from a surface. It describes the act of removing dirt, stains, fingerprints, or other marks, and can also refer to clearing away small objects from a surface. In a figurative sense, wegwischen can mean erasing traces or evidence, or concealing something from memory or perception.

Etymology and grammar: Wegwischen is a separable-prefix verb formed from wischen (to wipe) with the prefix weg- (away). In the present tense, the prefix is separated: Ich wische das weg. In the perfect tense, the past participle is typically weggewischt, and it is used with the auxiliary haben: Ich habe das weggewischt.

Usage and contexts: In everyday language, wegwischen is commonly used for cleaning tasks, such as weghörü dust from a shelf, weghamp smudges from a window, or weghin fingerprints from a touchscreen. It implies thorough removal of substance from the surface. The closely related verb abwischen is also used for wiping, often with emphasis on wiping with a cloth and leaving the surface clean; wegwischen emphasizes removal and displacement of material.

Figurative use: Wegwischen can describe erasing traces or signs, for example Spuren wegwischen. In metaphorical phrasing, it may convey the idea of removing memories or evidence, though this usage is more common in combination with other expressions and may vary in tone.

See also: Abwischen, Löschen, Spuren verwischen. Wegwischen is widely understood in German-speaking regions and appears in dictionaries as a standard term for surface cleaning and trace removal.