Word Story
This everyday verb means to pass something through clean, running water to remove soap, dust, or loosened residue from a surface. It often describes the step after washing: you scrub or soak an item, then flush it with clear water so no film, suds, or grit remains. There is also a lighter secondary sense, as when you quickly wash lettuce leaves, herbs, or berries under running water without a full scrub. In hair care, the word appears in special treatments that are worked through the hair and then washed out with water, often leaving a subtle tint or shine. A familiar real-world example is the final stage of hand-washing a delicate shirt in the sink, when you hold it under the tap until the water runs completely clear and the fabric no longer feels slippery, slick, or soapy against your fingers.