Wipe Definition and Meaning
By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 6, 2024
To wipe means to clean or dry by rubbing with a cloth, tissue, or one's hand. e.g., She used a napkin to wipe her hands clean.
Table of Contents
Wipe Definitions
To erase or remove completely.
The virus wiped all the data from the hard drive.
To exhaust or deplete resources or energy.
The long hike wiped them out completely.
To subject to light rubbing or friction, as with a cloth or paper, in order to clean or dry.
To clean or dry by rubbing
Wiped my feet before I went inside.
To rub, move, or pass (a cloth, for example) over a surface.
To remove by or as if by rubbing
Wipe off dirt.
Wipe away grease.
To blot out completely, as from the memory.
To spread or apply by or as if by wiping
Wiped furniture polish over the table.
To form (a joint) in plumbing by spreading solder with a piece of cloth or leather.
The act or an instance of wiping.
Something, such as a towel or tissue, used for wiping.
A cam that activates another part; a wiper.
A blow or swipe.
(Informal) A jeer; a gibe.
A transition from one scene in a film or movie to another, effected by means of a line passing across the screen.
(transitive) To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. Compare rub.
Melissa wiped her glasses with her shirt.
I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand.
Tom started to wipe his eyes.
(transitive) To remove by rubbing; to rub off; to obliterate; usually followed by away, off, or out.
(obsolete) To cheat; to defraud; to trick; usually followed by out.
(ambitransitive) To clean (the buttocks) after defecation.
I had nothing to wipe my bum with.
This is what happens if you never wipe. Your butthole gets dirty!
To erase.
I accidentally wiped my hard drive.
To make (a joint, as between pieces of lead pipe), by surrounding the junction with a mass of solder, applied in a plastic condition by means of a rag with which the solder is shaped by rubbing.
(figurative) To remove an expression from one's face.
You should wipe that smirk off your face before the boss comes in.
(transitive) To deperm (a ship).
To have all members of a party die in a single campaign, event, or battle; to be wiped out.
If you try to fight that boss underprepared, you're definitely gonna wipe.
The act of wiping something.
Multiple wipes of a computer's hard disk
A soft piece of cloth or cloth-like material used for wiping.
Wet wipe
A handkerchief.
A kind of film transition where one shot replaces another by travelling from one side of the frame to another or with a special shape.
(obsolete) A sarcastic remark; a reproof, a jibe.
A blow or swipe; the act of striking somebody or something.
A lapwing, especially a northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus).
An instance of all members of a party dying in a single campaign, event, or battle; a wipeout.
The lapwing.
Act of rubbing, esp. in order to clean.
A blow; a stroke; a hit; a swipe.
A gibe; a jeer; a severe sarcasm.
A handkerchief.
Stain; brand.
To rub with something soft for cleaning; to clean or dry by rubbing; as, to wipe the hands or face with a towel.
Let me wipe thy face.
I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.
To remove by rubbing; to rub off; to obliterate; - usually followed by away, off or out. Also used figuratively.
Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon.
To cheat; to defraud; to trick; - usually followed by out.
If they by coveyne [covin] or gile be wiped beside their goods.
The act of rubbing or wiping;
He gave the hood a quick rub
Rub with a circular motion;
Wipe the blackboard
To rub with a cloth or other material in order to clean or dry.
He wiped the table with a damp cloth to remove the dust.
To remove (dirt, liquid, etc.) by rubbing.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks.
To clean off or clear (a surface) by rubbing.
They wiped the chalkboard clean after class.
To spread by rubbing.
He wiped butter on his toast evenly.
To use a wiping motion to apply or remove something.
She wiped her makeup off before going to bed.
To brush lightly or gently.
The cat wiped its face with its paw.
To clean oneself or an object as a part of personal hygiene.
He wiped his hands with sanitizer before eating.
To remove or eliminate completely.
The storm wiped out the entire crop.
Wipe Snonyms
Sweep
To clean or clear (a space, area, or surface) with a brush or broom.
He swept the crumbs from the table.
Polish
To make smooth and shiny by rubbing.
She polished the silver until it sparkled.
Mop
To clean (a surface) with a mop.
He mopped the spill on the kitchen floor.
Rub
To move one's hand or a cloth repeatedly back and forth over a surface with pressure.
She rubbed her eyes wearily.
Cleanse
To make something thoroughly clean.
This lotion is designed to cleanse your skin.
Erase
To remove written or printed material or marks.
He erased the error from his document.
Swab
To clean with a large absorbent pad or piece of material.
The nurse swabbed the wound before applying a bandage.
Scrub
To rub hard so as to clean.
She scrubbed the floor until it shone.
Clear
To remove an obstruction or unwanted item.
We cleared the table after dinner.
Extinguish
To wipe out; to do away with; annihilate.
Firefighters worked tirelessly to extinguish the wildfire.
Wipe Idioms & Phrases
Wipe the smile off one's face
To cause someone to stop feeling pleased or proud.
The final exam results wiped the smile off his face.
Wipe the floor with someone
To defeat someone easily in a competition.
The champion wiped the floor with his opponents in the tournament.
Wipe out
To destroy or eliminate completely.
The new policy aimed to wipe out corruption.
Wipe the slate clean
To start fresh by forgetting past mistakes.
They decided to wipe the slate clean and renew their friendship.
Wipe someone's eye
To outdo or surpass someone unexpectedly.
The new player wiped everyone's eye with his outstanding performance.
Wipe your nose
To take care of one's own problems.
It's time he learned to wipe his own nose and deal with his issues.
Wipe off the map
To completely destroy or obliterate.
The ancient city was wiped off the map by the volcanic eruption.
Wipe the tears away
To comfort someone and stop their crying.
She wiped the tears away and offered words of encouragement.
Not enough to wipe one's nose on
An amount too small to be of use.
The bonus was so small, not enough to wipe one's nose on.
Wipe from memory
To completely forget or erase from one's thoughts.
She wished she could wipe the embarrassing incident from her memory.
To not wipe the boots of
To consider someone unworthy or inferior.
He's so arrogant, he thinks no one can wipe his boots.
Wipe the dust off
To use or bring out something that has not been used for a long time.
He wiped the dust off his old guitar and started playing again.
Wipe away
To remove completely in a wiping motion.
The new software can wipe away all the junk files on your computer.
Wipe down
To clean the entire surface of something by wiping.
The gym staff wiped down all the equipment after closing.
Wipe the smirk off one's face
To make someone less smug or self-satisfied.
Losing the game wiped the smirk off his face.
Wipe off
To remove something from a surface.
She wiped off the crumbs from the table after breakfast.
Wipe one's hands of
To refuse to take further responsibility or to disassociate oneself from something.
After the project failed, he wiped his hands of it entirely.
Wipe one's mouth and say nothing
To pretend that nothing has happened.
After making the mistake, he just wiped his mouth and said nothing.
Wipe one's tears away
To stop crying and compose oneself.
After a comforting hug, she was able to wipe her tears away.
Wipe the board clean
Similar to wiping the slate clean; starting over without considering past issues.
With the new project, we have a chance to wipe the board clean.
Wipe the counter
To clean the kitchen counter or similar surfaces.
After baking, she always wipes the counter to keep the kitchen tidy.
Wipe it off
To consider a debt or obligation canceled.
You helped me so much last time, let's wipe it off.
Wipe the grin off one's face
To make someone less smug or less pleased with themselves.
Losing the game wiped the grin off his face.
Wipe one's slate
To clear one's record of any misdemeanors or mistakes.
Moving to a new city allowed him to wipe his slate and start anew.
Wipe the board
To remove all previous plans or ideas and start anew.
The team decided to wipe the board and brainstorm new strategies.
Not a dry wipe in the house
Used to indicate that something is very sad or moving, making everyone cry.
The touching speech left not a dry wipe in the house.
Wipe the cobwebs away
To refresh one's thinking or to update outdated ideas.
The seminar helped him wipe the cobwebs away and think of new strategies.
Wipe out a debt
To completely pay off or eliminate a debt.
Winning the lottery allowed her to wipe out all her debts.
Wipe up
To clean liquid from a surface by wiping.
Please wipe up the juice you spilled on the counter.
Wipe one's brow
To express relief from a stressful or difficult situation.
After finishing the marathon, he wiped his brow in relief.
Wipe Example Sentences
You should wipe your computer screen to remove the fingerprints.
After dinner, I'll wipe the table and wash the dishes.
She always wipes her glasses with a special cloth.
He got emotional and had to wipe away a tear.
It's important to wipe the kitchen surfaces daily to keep them hygienic.
Please wipe your feet on the mat before coming inside.
Don't forget to wipe the chalkboard clean after class.
The mechanic wiped his greasy hands on a rag.
Before painting, you need to wipe the walls down.
They had to wipe the data from the stolen phone.
Can you wipe the dust off the shelves?
She asked her child to wipe his nose with a tissue.
Remember to wipe the sink after brushing your teeth.
The athlete used a towel to wipe sweat from his forehead.
The light rain wasn't enough to wipe the smudges off the car.
Common Curiosities
What is a stressed syllable in wipe?
The entire word "wipe" is stressed, as it is only one syllable.
How many syllables are in wipe?
There is one syllable in "wipe".
What is the root word of wipe?
The root of "wipe" comes from Middle English 'wipen', meaning to clean or rub.
Why is it called wipe?
It's called "wipe" because it originates from Middle English, meaning to clean or rub off, reflecting the action of removing or cleaning by rubbing.
What is the verb form of wipe?
"Wipe" itself is the base form of the verb; the past form is "wiped".
What is the third form of wipe?
The third form is also "wiped".
What part of speech is wipe?
"Wipe" is a verb.
What is the pronunciation of wipe?
Wipe is pronounced as /waɪp/.
How do we divide wipe into syllables?
Wipe is a single-syllable word, so it is not divided: wipe.
How is wipe used in a sentence?
After dinner, she used a damp cloth to wipe the table.
What is the second form of wipe?
The second form is "wiped".
Is wipe an adverb?
No, "wipe" is not an adverb.
What is the plural form of wipe?
As a verb, "wipe" does not have a plural form. When used as a noun, it can be pluralized as "wipes".
Is wipe a noun or adjective?
"Wipe" is primarily a verb, but it can also be used as a noun.
Is the word wipe imperative?
"Wipe" can be used in the imperative form as a command, e.g., "Wipe your feet".
What is the first form of wipe?
The first form is "wipe".
Is the word “wipe” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
In a sentence, the thing being wiped is the direct object, e.g., "She wiped the table".
Is the word wipe Gerund?
The gerund form of "wipe" is "wiping", which can function as a noun.
Which determiner is used with wipe?
Determiners like "a", "the", or "that" can be used with "wipe" when it's used as a noun, depending on the context.
Which preposition is used with wipe?
Prepositions such as "off", "away", or "down" are often used with "wipe", depending on what is being conveyed.
What is the singular form of wipe?
"Wipe" does not change form between singular and plural; it remains "wipe".
What is the opposite of wipe?
The opposite of "wipe" could be "smear", "dirty", or "stain".
Is wipe a vowel or consonant?
The word "wipe" starts with a consonant.
Is wipe a countable noun?
When used as a noun, "wipe" can be countable, as in "wipes".
Is wipe a collective noun?
No, "wipe" is not a collective noun.
Which vowel is used before wipe?
A consonant typically precedes "wipe", but vowels can also appear based on the sentence structure, e.g., "an easy wipe".
What is another term for wipe?
Another term for "wipe" could be "clean", "rub", or "erase".
Is wipe an abstract noun?
No, "wipe" is not an abstract noun; it is a verb or a concrete noun when referring to the act or means of wiping.
Is wipe a negative or positive word?
"Wipe" is neutral; its connotation depends on the context.
Is the wipe term a metaphor?
"Wipe" can be used metaphorically, especially in phrases like "wipe the slate clean".
Which conjunction is used with wipe?
Conjunctions like "and", "but", or "or" can be used in sentences containing "wipe", depending on the sentence structure.
Which article is used with wipe?
When "wipe" is used as a noun, the articles "a" or "the" can be used, e.g., "a wipe" or "the wipe".
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
