bathe

[ beyth ]

verb (used with object)

, bathed, bath·ing.

1. to immerse (all or part of the body) in water or some other liquid, for cleansing, refreshment, etc.
2. to wet; wash.
3. to moisten or suffuse with any liquid.
4. to apply water or other liquid to, with a sponge, cloth, etc.:

   to bathe a wound.

5. to wash over or against, as by the action of the sea, a river, etc.:

   incoming tides bathing the coral reef.

6. to cover or surround:

   a shaft of sunlight bathing the room; a morning fog bathing the city.

verb (used without object)

, bathed, bath·ing.

1. to take a bath or sunbath.
2. to swim for pleasure.
3. to be covered or surrounded as if with water.

noun

1. British.
   1. the act of bathing, especially in the sea, a lake, or a river.
   2. a swimming bath.

bathe

/ beɪð /

verb

1. intr to swim or paddle in a body of open water or a river, esp for pleasure
2. tr to apply liquid to (skin, a wound, etc) in order to cleanse or soothe
3. to immerse or be immersed in a liquid

   to bathe machine parts in oil

4. to wash in a bath
5. tr; often passive to suffuse

   her face was bathed with radiance

6. tr (of water, the sea, etc) to lap; wash

   waves bathed the shore

noun

1. a swim or paddle in a body of open water or a river

Derived Forms

• ˈbather, noun

Other Words From

• re·bathe verb rebathed rebathing

Word History and Origins

Origin of bathe¹

before 1000; Middle English bath ( i ) en, Old English bathian, equivalent to bæth bath ¹ + -ian infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of bathe¹

Old English bathian ; related to Old Norse batha , Old High German badōn

Example Sentences

That was not nearly enough to drink and flush, bathe, and wash dishes.

From Slate

Clothes go unwashed and families can’t bathe their children properly, meaning skin diseases and diarrhoea are widespread.

From BBC

Earlier this year, the hot water stopped working and residents began heating water on the stove to bathe.

From Los Angeles Times

When we learned that polio was spreading, we called her to give her some instructions: Boil water before drinking it, bathe regularly, use ointments to prevent the spread of skin diseases, keep the children away from crowds.

From Slate

We couldn’t grow food, we couldn’t build our homes, we couldn’t bathe, we couldn’t heal the sick without water.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clean
• dip
• douse
• immerse
• rinse
• scour
• scrub
• soak
• steep
• submerge
• wet