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.

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.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
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
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“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.”
“I need to wipe my browser history before my parents use my computer.”
📚Related Words
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