dry wash

noun

1. clothes, curtains, etc., washed and dried but not yet ironed. Compare wet wash.
2. wash ( def 43 ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of dry wash¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

A body was found Tuesday morning in the dry wash of the Los Angeles River near the Elysian Park neighborhood, according to authorities.

From Los Angeles Times

The sagebrush, exposed stone, and dry washes turned into a blurry mosaic.

From Literature

They have to cross dozens of miles of desert mountains and dry washes before reaching major highways where smugglers’ vehicles will take them to destinations across the United States.

From Seattle Times

But flooding, this year and historically, can transform canyons, slick rocks and normally dry washes into deadly channels of fast-moving water and debris in mere minutes.

From Seattle Times

The storms can lead to flooding in normally dry washes and in areas stripped of vegetation by wildfires that have plagued the drought-stricken region.

From Seattle Times