1 B1 neutral
To clean a surface by washing it with water so that dirt or residue goes down the drain.
"After the barbecue, he rinsed down the patio with a garden hose."
separable
rinse down
B1 neutral separable transitive
To wash something downward with a flow of water, or to drink liquid to push food or medicine down the throat.
In plain English
To use water to clean something by washing it down, or to drink something to help swallow food.
What does "rinse down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
To drink a liquid to help swallow food, medicine, or something unpleasant.
"She took her vitamins and rinsed them down with a glass of orange juice."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To rinse something in a downward direction.
Actually means
To use water to clean something by washing it down, or to drink something to help swallow food.
Usage tip
Less common than 'rinse off' or 'wash down'. Used literally for cleaning surfaces (drains, outdoor areas) or figuratively for drinking to help swallow food or pills.
Words that pair with "rinse down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
drain throat surface pills pavement food
How to conjugate "rinse down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
rinse down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rinses down
he/she/it
Past simple
rinsed down
yesterday
Past participle
rinsed down
have + pp
-ing form
rinsing down
continuous
Hear "rinse down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "rinse down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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