wash down

present singular third person washes down · participle present washing down · participle past washed down · past washed down

1. transitiveTo help to swallow (something, especially food or a pill) by drinking a liquid.

   Now we just need a drink to wash it down.

   4 more examples

   I had a nice beef sandwich washed down with a pint of bitter.

   Well, we had our breakfast of ship's bread and molasses, washed down with cannikins of something liquid - but not lovely.

   1907 February 2, The Chronicle, Adelaide, page 50, column 2

   This time we started with melon, went on to salad and cold chicken, next tried some excellent Camembert and finished up with grapes. To wash this down in the enginemen's shanty, we had a nice white Bordeaux, followed by the remains of the Rosé and finishing up with excellent Beaujolais.

   1961 March, ""Balmore"", “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 151

   Having just dined on a plate of fried chicken, you wash it down with a can of beer and contemplate that life doesn't get any better than this. Ever wonder what happens next?

   2012 [2002], Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into the Universe, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN

2. transitiveTo wash (something) completely from top to bottom.

   You must wash the wall down well before painting.

   1 more example

   We'll wash it down with a garden hose and just a touch of soap.

3. transitiveTo send (something) down the drain by washing action.

   There was some food residue in the sink, so she washed it down.