I. ˈwīp verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English wipen, from Old English wīpian; akin to Old High German wīfan to swing, wind around, weif bandage, Old Norse veipr head covering, Gothic weipan to crown, wipja crown, Latin vibrare to vibrate, Sanskrit vepate he trembles, it vibrates
transitive verb
1.
a. : to rub with or as if with something soft for cleaning or drying
wiped his nose with his handkerchief
wipe the enamel with a damp cloth
b. : to clean or dry by rubbing
wipe your shoes before going in
— usually used with on
wiped his hands on the grass
c. : to draw, pass, or move for or as if for rubbing or cleaning
wiped his hand across his forehead
wiping a soft cloth back and forth over the waxed surface
2.
a. : to remove by or as if by rubbing
wipe the tears off
wiping off the spilled oil
wiped the smudge away with his hand
wipe out what you have written
b. : to completely expunge : obliterate , abolish , cancel
his heroic end wiped his foolish life from human memory
as
(1) : to cause to cease to exist : annihilate — usually used with out
the enemy wiped out the defending force
(2) : to terminate by or as if by payment — usually used with off or out
received money to wipe off most of his debts
past dishonor wiped out by valiant deeds
(3) : to exhaust (a margin) on an exchange — used with out
the fall in prices wiped out his margin
3.
a. chiefly dialect : to punish either with physical violence or stern censure ; usually : strike , beat , drub
b. obsolete : cheat , defraud , trick
4.
a. : to spread in a thin and rather uniform layer by or as if by wiping
wipe a coating of heavy grease over all exposed surfaces
b. : to form (a joint between lead pipes) by applying solder in repeated increments that are individually spread and shaped with greased cloth pads
intransitive verb
: to make a motion of or like that of wiping something
she wiped vigorously but the stain remained
Synonyms: see exterminate
•
- wipe one's boots on
- wipe one's eye
- wipe the floor with
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a.
(1) : blow , strike , swipe
(2) obsolete : a mark from or as if from a blow
b. : a harsh sarcastic remark : gibe , jeer
2. : an act or instance of wiping
give the table a wipe with your cloth
3.
a. slang : handkerchief
b. : wiper a(3)
c. : a small surgical sponge (as of gauze or cellulose)
4. or wipe off : a transitional effect during a projected picture whereby one scene progressively replaces another as a boundary line moves across vertically, horizontally, or in some special pattern