laun ‧ dry /ˈlɔːndri $ ˈlɒːn-/ BrE AmE noun ( plural laundries )
1 . [uncountable] clothes, sheets etc that need to be washed or have just been washed:
She did the laundry (=washed the clothes etc) and hung it out to dry.
Ben was folding laundry.
clean/dirty laundry
a pile of dirty laundry
2 . [countable] a place or business where clothes etc are washed and ↑ iron ed
⇨ air/wash your dirty laundry at ↑ dirty 1 (7)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ do the laundry (=wash and dry dirty clothes)
I cleaned the kitchen and did some laundry.
▪ fold the laundry (=fold clothes after they have been washed and dried)
He was folding the laundry and watching TV.
▪ hang out/up the laundry (=put the laundry outside on a line to dry)
My mother was hanging out the laundry in the sun.
■ adjectives
▪ clean/dirty laundry
a bag of dirty laundry
■ phrases
▪ a bundle/pile of laundry
a pile of laundry waiting to be put away
▪ a load of laundry (=an amount that fits in a washing machine)
I do at least one or two loads of laundry every day.
■ laundry + NOUN
▪ a laundry room
There's a washing machine in the laundry room.
▪ a laundry basket
Pete put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket.