fresh

FRESH/fɹɛʃ/

24 meanings of fresh

1
not preservedadjective
Still good to eat, and not dried, frozen or starting to go bad.
The market sells fresh fish caught earlier that day.
Keep the vegetables cold so they stay fresh longer.
Oppositestale
2
new and differentadjective
New or different, in place of or in addition to what was there before, or clean and not used yet.
I made a mistake, so I started again on a fresh sheet of paper.
The hotel puts out fresh towels every morning.
UsageOften in phrases like a fresh start and a fresh look.
Similarnew, clean, different
Oppositeold, stale
3
adjective
Just made, picked, or gotten a short time ago.
Like a newspaper printed this morning, not last week.
We bought fresh bread from the bakery this morning.
She poured everyone a glass of fresh orange juice.
UsageIf something is fresh in your mind, you still remember it well.
Similarrecent, latest
Oppositeold
4
not saltyadjective
Containing little or no salt, like the water in most rivers and lakes.
Most rivers carry fresh water down to the sea.
The lake is fresh, so its fish differ from ocean species.
UsageBefore another noun, write it as one word: freshwater fish.
Oppositesaline
Note
5
crisp airadjective
Pleasantly cool in a way that makes you feel awake.
Like splashing cool water on your face when you wake up.
A fresh breeze blew in from the sea.
The morning air felt fresh and cool on her face.
UsagePeople often say get some fresh air, meaning go outside for a while.
Similarcool
Oppositestale, stuffy
6
adjective
Still green and not yet dried out.
She added fresh basil to the sauce.
The fresh herbs wilted by the evening.
Similargreen
Oppositedried
7
restedadjective
Full of energy after resting, and not tired.
Like a phone with a full battery in the morning.
After a good sleep, she felt fresh and ready to work.
The runners looked fresh at the start of the race.
Similarrested
Oppositetired
8
just come fromadverb
Only a short time ago.
We are fresh out of milk, so I will buy more.
She got her first job fresh out of college.
UsageUsed in phrases like fresh out of milk (it just ran out) and fresh from school.
Similarjust, newly, recently
9
stylishadjectiveslang
Very cool, stylish, and impressive in a modern way.
Those new sneakers look really fresh.
His haircut is so fresh that everyone noticed.
Similarcool, fashionable
Oppositedated, uncool
Note
10
adjective
Describes air that is clean and good to breathe, like the air outdoors, not stuffy or dirty.
Open the window and let some fresh air into the room.
The smoke from the grill was so thick that we went outside for fresh air.
Similarclean, pure, crisp
Oppositestale, stuffy, polluted

Less common meanings

11
rudeadjective
Rude or too bold with someone, especially by touching or flirting with them when they do not want it.
Don't get fresh with your teacher.
The new kid was a little too fresh with the manager.
UsageOften in get fresh with someone. A fresh remark is rude, not new.
Note
12
untrainedadjective
New to a job or skill, and not yet trained or experienced.
Like a brand-new tool that no one has used yet.
The fresh recruits made beginner mistakes all week long.
Our fresh recruits had never done this kind of work before.
Similarinexperienced, green, raw, callow, unseasoned
Oppositeexperienced, seasoned
13
rosyadjective
Looking young, healthy, and full of color.
Like a ripe peach, bright and full of color.
Her fresh complexion made her look ten years younger.
Even at sixty, her face was fresh and rosy, like a young girl's.
Similarrosy, glowing, healthy
Oppositepale, sallow
14
wash upverbnonstandardintransitive
To wash and tidy yourself so you feel clean again.
Let me fresh up before we go out.
She went to fresh up after the long drive.
UsageMost people say freshen up instead.
Similarwash
15
slightly drunkadjectivearchaic
Slightly drunk after having alcohol.
How long did Mr. Crisp stay with you?—He might have stayed two hours; he stayed some time after; he drank ale and got fresh.
1840, Parliamentary PapersHere, fresh means a little drunk.
Note
16
verbdated
To grow stronger, the way the wind does before a storm.
Horrible was now my condition, as the wind freshed up more and more.
1815, William Williams, The Journal of Llewellin Penrose
17
verbrare
To make something new again.
Q. Did you tell anybody this tale that you heard this man threaten what they were going to do?—A. No, sir; I didn't say nothing to anybody until Monday—Monday or Tuesday, one—then my mind was freshed.
1884, United States Congressional Serial Set - Volume 2178
18
noun
A spring or small stream of water containing little or no salt.
19
noun
A sudden rush of water along a river or over the land, like a flood.
20
noun
The mixing of fresh water with salty sea water in rivers or bays.
21
verb
To pour flowing fresh water into salt water so it becomes less salty.
The salinity is variated, and locally the lake water is freshed in a step manner.
1989, Tseng-chʻüan Li, Fa-erh Chiang
22
verb
To give birth to a calf, as a cow does.
23
verb
To pack fish loosely on ice to keep them cold.
Smoked abalone is prepared by smoking the salted and freshed abalone, the smoked meat is packed with vegetable oil.
1971, Eiichi Tanikawa, Marine Products in Japan: Size
24
verb
To bore out the inside of a gun barrel so it works like new again.

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–10, 12–15

This comes from an Old English word 'fersc' meaning fresh, pure, or sweet, which came from older Germanic roots. The verb comes from the adjective.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Fresh derives from Old English fersc, meaning fresh, pure, or sweet. en.wiktionary.org
Old English fersc derives from older Germanic roots. en.wiktionary.org
The verb derives from the adjective. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 11

This is US slang first seen around 1848, probably from German 'frech', meaning cheeky or insolent.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

This sense originated as US slang. en.wiktionary.org
This sense probably derives from German frech. en.wiktionary.org
German frech means cheeky or insolent. en.wiktionary.org