wash down
B1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
Use water to clean a big surface, or drink something to help you swallow food or a pill.
Literal meaning: To wash in a downward direction.
Meanings
1 B1 neutral
To use a drink to help swallow food, a pill, or medicine.
"Take the tablet and wash it down with a full glass of water."
Grammar: separable
2 B1 neutral
To clean a large surface by washing it down with water.
"He spent Saturday morning washing down the garden walls."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Two distinct senses that are both very common. The eating/drinking sense ('wash it down with water') is universally understood. The cleaning sense is often used for walls, vehicles, or large surfaces.
Commonly used with
pill tablet meal food walls car deck water beer
Forms
Base
wash down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
washes down
he/she/it
Past simple
washed down
yesterday
Past participle
washed down
have + pp
-ing form
washing down
continuous
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Synonyms
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