wipe

wipe¹ S3 [waıp] v

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1¦(clean/rub)¦

2¦(remove dirt)¦

3¦(computer/tape)¦

4 wipe something from your mind/memory

5 wipe the floor with somebody

6 wipe the slate clean

7 wipe the smile/grin off somebody's face

8 wipe something off the face of the earth/wipe something off the map

9¦(plates/cups etc)¦

Phrasal verbs

　wipe something<=>away

　wipe something<=>down

　wipe something off something

　wipe out

　wipe something<=>up

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[: Old English; Origin: wipian]

1.) ¦(CLEAN/RUB)¦ [T]

a) to rub a surface with something in order to remove dirt, liquid etc

wipe sth with sth

▪ Wipe the table with a damp cloth.

▪ Bill wiped his eyes (=wiped the tears from his face) and apologized.

▪ He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his nose .

b) to clean something by rubbing it against a surface

wipe sth on sth

▪ He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.

2.) ¦(REMOVE DIRT)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]

to remove liquid, dirt, or marks by wiping

wipe sth off/from etc sth

▪ Kim wiped the sweat from her face.

3.) ¦(COMPUTER/TAPE)¦ [T]

to remove all the information that is stored on a tape, video, or computer ↑disk

4.) wipe sth from your mind/memory

to try to forget an unpleasant experience

5.) wipe the floor with sb informal

to defeat someone completely in a competition or argument

6.) wipe the slate clean

to agree to forget about mistakes or arguments that happened in the past

7.) wipe the smile/grin off sb's face informal

to make someone feel less happy or confident, especially someone who is annoying because they think they are clever

▪ Tell him how much it'll cost - that should wipe the smile off his face!

8.) wipe sth off the face of the earth/wipe sth off the map

to destroy something completely

▪ Another few years and this species could be wiped off the face of the earth.

9.) ¦(PLATES/CUPS ETC)¦ [I and T]

to dry plates, cups etc that have been washed

= ↑dry

▪ You wash, I'll wipe.

wipe away [wipe sth<=>away] phr v

to stop something existing

▪ A frown quickly wiped away her smile.

wipe down [wipe sth<=>down] phr v

to completely clean a surface using a wet cloth

wipe off [wipe sth off sth] phr v

to reduce the value of ↑shares or prices by a particular amount

▪ Nearly £7 billion has been wiped off share prices worldwide.

wipe out phr v

1.) wipe sb/sth<=>out

to destroy, remove, or get rid of something completely

▪ Whole villages were wiped out by the floods.

▪ Nothing could wipe out his bitter memories of the past.

2.) wipe sb<=>out informal

to make you feel extremely tired

▪ The heat had wiped us out.

→↑wiped out

3.) AmE to fall or hit another object when driving a car, riding a bicycle etc

wipe up [wipe sth<=>up] phr v

to remove liquid from a surface using a cloth

▪ I hastily wiped up the milk I had spilled.

wipe ²

wipe² n

1.) a wiping movement with a cloth

▪ An occasional wipe with a soft cloth will keep the surface shiny.

▪ Give the baby's nose a wipe, would you?

2.) a special piece of wet material that you use to clean someone or something and then throw away

▪ a pack of baby wipes