wash

Wash is a versatile term with several meanings in English. As a verb, it most often means to cleanse or rinse something with water, or to bathe; it can also mean to remove dirt or stains by washing. As a noun, wash can refer to the act or process of washing, the clothes or linens that have been washed or are to be washed, or, in casual use, the laundry itself.

In geography and geology, a wash is a dry streambed that carries water only after rainfall, common in arid regions. Such channels may be called arroyos or wadis in different regions and can support flash floods when storms occur upstream.

In the arts, a wash is a technique in painting or drawing where a transparent layer of color or ink is laid over a surface to create a soft, even tone. Watercolor washes are common, as are washes using ink or thinned pigments.

In nautical usage, wash refers to the waves or disturbed water left behind by a moving vessel, sometimes called the wake. The term can also describe the soft movement of water caused by currents or tides in a harbor.

In finance and tax contexts, a wash sale or wash trade describes transactions designed to create the appearance of a sale without altering the position, typically to realize tax benefits; many jurisdictions limit or prohibit such practices.