wipe

WYP/waɪp/

Noun pluralwipes

20 meanings of wipe

1
verbtransitive
To move something across a surface while pressing on it, to take off dirt or liquid.
Like cleaning a dirty window with a towel.
Please wipe the table before we sit down to eat.
She wiped the steamy mirror with her sleeve.
Similarclean, mop, rub, swab, sponge
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2
verbtransitive
To take something off a surface by rubbing it away.
Like rubbing out a pencil mark with an eraser.
Wipe away the crumbs before you put the cloth down.
She wiped off the dust with a paper towel.
Similarclean, scrub, rub, remove
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3
nouncountable
A soft cloth or paper used to clean something.
Like a small towel you use once and then throw away.
She grabbed a wipe to clean the baby's hands.
Keep a pack of wipes in the car for messes.
Similartowelette, cloth
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4
nouncountable
A quick move of a cloth or hand to clean a surface.
Like a single pass of a cloth across a table.
Give the table a quick wipe before dinner.
One wipe of the cloth cleared the fog from the mirror.
Similarclean, rub, swipe, dust
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5
verbtransitive or intransitive
To clean your bottom with paper after using the toilet.
Parents teach toddlers how to wipe after using the potty.
He always remembers to wipe before flushing.
6
verbtransitive
To completely remove the data from a device or disk.
Like erasing a whiteboard until nothing is left.
Remember to wipe your phone before you sell it.
The technician wiped the hard drive to remove all the files.
Similarerase, clear, format, purge, scrub
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7
verbfigurativelytransitive
To take a look or feeling off your face on purpose.
Like rubbing chalk off a board until it's blank.
Wipe that grin off your face and listen.
She quickly wiped the shock from her face.
Similarerase
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8
verbtransitive
To spread something across a surface with a sliding motion of the hand or cloth.
Like spreading butter across bread with a knife.
He wiped grease all over the pan.
Wipe a thin layer of oil onto the wood.
Similarsmear, spread, rub, daub
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9
nouncountable
A change between two shots where one slides across the screen to replace the other.
Like one page sliding over another to cover it.
The editor added a wipe between the two scenes.
Old adventure films often used a wipe to change locations.
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10
verbintransitive
To change from one scene or slide to the next by sliding it across the screen.
Like sliding one card off another to show the one beneath.
Set the slides to wipe from left to right.
The editor can wipe from one shot to another in a single click.
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11
verbintransitive
To lose every member of your team at the same time in a game battle.
Like a whole team getting knocked out of a game all at once.
Our whole group will wipe if we rush the boss without healing.
The raid team wiped three times before they finally beat the dragon.
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12
nouncountable
A moment in a game when every member of a team dies at the same time.
Like a game telling your whole team 'game over' at the same time.
That wipe cost us twenty minutes of progress.
After three wipes, the group decided to take a break.
Similarwipeout
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13
verbtransitive
To make a sealed pipe joint by shaping soft solder around it with a cloth.
Like smoothing soft, warm metal around a pipe with a cloth until it seals.
The plumber wiped a joint where the two lead pipes met.
Workers learned to wipe each seam with hot solder and a cloth pad.
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14
verbtransitive
To remove the built-up magnetism from a ship's hull.
Like removing static from a sweater, but for the metal of a whole ship.
The navy will wipe the submarine before its next mission.
Technicians wiped the new vessel to protect it from magnetic mines.
Similardegauss, deperm
15
nouncountable
A black-and-white wading bird with a crest, found in fields and wetlands.
A wipe called loudly as it tumbled over the wet meadow.
Flocks of wipes gathered on the flooded fields each spring.
Similarlapwing, peewit
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16
nounobsolete
A sharp or mocking comment meant to criticize someone.
Like a small slap made with words instead of a hand.
He could not resist a wipe at his rival's expense.
I could not help giving Metcalfe a wipe for his lamentations, observing I should have thought he had enough to attend to at home.
1808, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian RakeHere, wipe means a sharp, mocking remark aimed at someone.
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17
verbobsolete
To cheat someone or trick them out of money or goods.
Like a trickster slowly taking all your money until none is left.
The swindler tried to wipe the widow out of her savings.
If they by coveyne [covin] or gile be wiped beside their goods.
1551, Thomas More, A FrutefulHere, wiped means cheated, so they are tricked out of their goods.
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18
verbobsoleteUK
To hit or strike a person or thing with a blow.
Like giving something a quick, hard hit.
He wiped the lad across the ear for his cheek.
She threatened to wipe him if he came any closer.
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19
nounobsoleteUK
A hard hit or blow given to someone or something.
He rode close up to a French officer, and so much in advance of his men that the Frenchman thought he was going to surrender, and dropped his sword, when Penrice gave him a wipe over his head.
1894, William Tomkinson, James TomkinsonHere, wipe means a sweeping blow, so he struck him over the head.
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20
nounobsoleteUK
A handkerchief, a small cloth for wiping the nose or face.
Like a small cloth you keep in your pocket to clean your nose.
He pulled a silk wipe from his coat pocket.
"Now, my kiveys, shy up your castors, tie your bird's-eye wipes to the stakes, and go to work."
1883, London SocietyHere, wipes means handkerchiefs.
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Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–10, 13–14, 16–20

From Old English wīpian, meaning to wipe or rub clean. It goes back to an old root meaning to twist or wind around.

Meanings 11–12

A shortened form of the verb "wipe out" and the noun "wipeout."