wipe

Meanings

Verb

• To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface.
• To remove by rubbing; to rub off; to obliterate; usually followed by away, off, or out.
• To cheat; to defraud; to trick; usually followed by out.
• To erase.
• To make (a joint, as between pieces of lead pipe), by surrounding the junction with a mass of solder, applied in a plastic condition by means of a rag with which the solder is shaped by rubbing.
• To remove an expression from one's face.
• To deperm (a ship).
• To have all members of a party die in a single campaign, event, or battle; to be wiped out.

Noun

• The act of wiping something.
• A soft piece of cloth or cloth-like material used for wiping.
• A handkerchief.
• A kind of film transition where one shot replaces another by travelling from one side of the frame to another or with a special shape.
• A sarcastic remark; a reproof, a jibe.
• A blow or swipe; the act of striking somebody or something.
• A lapwing, especially a northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus).
• An instance of all members of a party dying in a single campaign, event, or battle; a wipeout.

Origin

• From Middle English wipen, from Old English wīpian ("to wipe, rub, cleanse"), from Proto-West Germanic *wīpōn ("to wipe"), from Proto-Indo-European *weyp- ("to twist, wind around"). Cognate with German wippen ("to bob"), Swedish veva ("to turn, wind, crank"), Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍀𐌰𐌽 ("to wreathe, crown"), Old English swīfan ("to revolve, sweep, wend, intervene"), Sanskrit वेपते ("to tremble"). More at swivel, swift.
• Compare Swedish vipa, Danish vibe ("lapwing").
• From wipe out by shortening.