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wipe — to clean or dry something by rubbing it with a cloth or paper

Part of speech: VERB

Definition: to clean or dry something by rubbing it with a cloth or paper

Pronunciation (IPA): /waɪp/

Example Sentences

  • My mom told me to wipe the dishes, but I accidentally wiped my phone screen for 10 minutes instead.
  • The tsunami wiped out the entire coastal village.
  • She wiped her tears and smiled bravely.

wipe

VERB

[/waɪp/]

to clean or dry something by rubbing it with a cloth or paper

She quickly wipes the coffee spill off the kitchen counter with a damp cloth.
💡 Concept

She quickly wipes the coffee spill off the kitchen counter with a damp cloth.

W (downward sweep) + IPE (clean stroke) — by making a wide W (downward sweep) with the cloth to IPE (clean) the glass, she managed to wipe the window.
🧠 Mnemonic

W (downward sweep) + IPE (clean stroke) — by making a wide W (downward sweep) with the cloth to IPE (clean) the glass, she managed to wipe the window.

A broken kitchen pipe flooded the floor, the soup spilled from the pot, and he had to wipe it all up.
🎵 Rhyme

A broken kitchen pipe flooded the floor, the soup spilled from the pot, and he had to wipe it all up.

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/waɪp/
🇬🇧 UK/waɪp/

🌳Etymology

Rootwipe

Origin

The word 'wipe' derives from Old English 'wipian', meaning 'to rub' or 'to clean'. This term traces back to Proto-Germanic roots shared across the Germanic language family, reflecting the common ancestral meaning of rubbing or wiping motions.

Breakdown

The word is a simple verb form without additional morphemes. 'Wipian' is the base Old English verb stem, with the '-ian' suffix typical of Old English infinitive forms, while the root 'wip-' carries the core meaning of rubbing or cleaning.

🎵Rhyme

pipe
type
stripe
ripe

🔗Collocations

wipe away
wipe out
wipe clean
wipe your nose
wipe the table
wet wipes
wipe off

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“My mom told me to wipe the dishes, but I accidentally wiped my phone screen for 10 minutes instead.”

“The tsunami wiped out the entire coastal village.”

“She wiped her tears and smiled bravely.”

😄 Fun example

“I need to wipe my browser history before my parents use my computer.”

📚Related Words

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