Dictionary
wipe
Pronunciation: (wīp), [key]
—v., wiped, wip•ing,
—n.
—
v.t.
1. to rub lightly with or on a cloth, towel, paper, the hand, etc., in order to clean or dry the surface of:
He wiped the furniture with a damp cloth.
2. to rub or draw (something) over a surface, as in cleaning or drying.
3. to remove by rubbing with or on something (usually fol. by
away, off, out, etc.):
Wipe the dirt off your shoes. Wipe the dust from the pictures.
4. to remove as if by rubbing (usually fol. by
away, off, etc.):
Wipe that smile off your face!
5. to erase, as from existence or memory (often fol. by
from):
to wipe a thought from one's mind.
6. to erase (magnetic tape, a recording, etc.).
7. Plumbing.
a. to apply (solder in a semifluid state) by spreading with leather or cloth over the part to be soldered.
b. to form (a joint) in this manner.
8. Mach.(of a rotating shaft or the like) to melt the brasses of (a bearing) through friction.
9. Australian Slang.to refuse to have anything to do with; reject; dismiss.
10. wipe out,
a. to destroy completely; demolish:
The entire city was wiped out.
b. Informal.to murder; kill:
They wiped him out to keep him from testifying.
c. Slang.to beat decisively, as in sports.
d. Slang.(in sports) to be taken out of competition by a fall, accident, collision, etc.
e. Slang.to intoxicate or cause to become high, esp. on narcotic drugs.
11. wipe up,to clean completely by wiping:
to wipe up the mess on the floor.
—
n.
1. an act of wiping:
He gave a few quick wipes to the furniture.
2. a rub, as of one thing over another.
3. Also called
wipe'-off". Motion Pictures.a technique in film editing by which the projected image of a scene appears to be pushed or wiped off the screen by the image that follows.
4. a piece of absorbent material, as of paper or cloth, used for wiping.
5. a sweeping stroke or blow.
6. a gibe.
7. Mach.wiper (def. 5).
8. Slang.a handkerchief.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
