wipes - Master This Word
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wipes Word Meanings
- to clean or dry something by rubbing it
- to remove something by swiping
- to erase data or information
wipes Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
wipes Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/waɪp/
US
/waɪp/
wipes Word Etymology
wipe = wipe (root). Origin: Old English wīpan → Middle English wipen → Modern English wipe. Memory image: Think of a hand wiping a surface clean, removing grime and dirt easily.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I press a cloth to the mug and move it in slow circles, watching the smear fade. I push and pull with a steady rhythm, changing direction when the fabric catches. The effort tightens my shoulder a little, and a quiet sense of control grows as the surface clears. Later, I wipe away a line on a screen, and the old information slides out of view, leaving only what matters.
Real Context
Wipe means to remove dirt, moisture, or unwanted material by rubbing a surface with a cloth or similar tool. It also covers removing things by brushing or swiping, and in computing, erasing data from a device. In everyday use you can wipe a table, wipe dust from a shelf, or wipe a spill with a towel. Phrasal verbs like wipe up (to collect liquid) and wipe off (to remove a thin layer or to dismiss a point metaphorically) are common. Learners often confuse wipe with wash, rub, or scrub; wipe implies a lighter, drier action, and erase data is a specialized sense.
Usage Reminders
- - Wipe often implies clean or dry, not a full wash.
- - Use wipe up for liquids and wipe off for removing a thin layer.
- - Don’t confuse with wash or rub; they imply different motions.
- - In tech, wipe means erasing data, not just cleaning.
- - Mention the object you wipe: the table, the screen, the spill.
Common Misconceptions
- Wipe always uses water or moisture.
- Wipe means scrubbing hard like a scour.
- Wipe and wash are interchangeable.
- Wipe only refers to cleaning; never to data.
- Wipe up vs wipe off are identical in every scenario.
Thinking Differences
English speakers often link wipe to quick, light cleaning with a cloth and distinguish it from washing (water-based cleaning) or rubbing (more aggressive). Learners should note phrasal variants like wipe up and wipe off, and the separate tech sense of wiping data.
Learning Tips
- Learn the core senses: cleaning, removing by wiping, and data erasure.
- Practice with common collocations: wipe the table, wipe the dust, wipe off a surface, wipe out a memory (figurative).
- Differentiate wipe up and wipe off with examples.
- Compare wipe with wash and rub to avoid mixing meanings.
- Study tech contexts separately (data wiping).
- Use a cloth or tissue as the instrument of wiping.
Related Listening
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