CLEANSING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cleansing mean? 

• CLEANSING (noun)
  The noun CLEANSING has 1 sense:

1. the act of making something clean

  Familiarity information: CLEANSING used as a noun is very rare.

• CLEANSING (adjective)
  The adjective CLEANSING has 2 senses:

1. cleansing the body by washing; especially ritual washing of e.g. hands

2. acting like an antiseptic

  Familiarity information: CLEANSING used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLEANSING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of making something clean

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

cleaning; cleansing; cleanup

Context example:

he gave his shoes a good cleaning

Hypernyms ("cleansing" is a kind of...):

improvement (the act of improving something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cleansing"):

disinfestation (the activity of getting rid of vermin)

spring-cleaning (the activity of cleaning a house thoroughly at the end of winter)

scouring; scrub; scrubbing (the act of cleaning a surface by rubbing it with a brush and soap and water)

dry cleaning (the act of cleaning (fabrics) with a solvent other than water)

sweeping (the act of cleaning with a broom)

purge; purging (an act of removing by cleansing; ridding of sediment or other undesired elements)

purification (the act of cleaning by getting rid of impurities)

sterilisation; sterilization (the procedure of making some object free of live bacteria or other microorganisms (usually by heat or chemical means))

sanitation; sanitisation; sanitization (making something sanitary (free of germs) as by sterilizing)

depilation; epilation (the act of removing hair (as from an animal skin))

bathing; washup (the act of washing yourself (or another person))

housecleaning (the act of cleaning the rooms and furnishings of a house)

Derivation:

cleanse (clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washing)

• CLEANSING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cleansing the body by washing; especially ritual washing of e.g. hands

Synonyms:

ablutionary; cleansing

Context example:

ablutionary rituals

Similar:

purifying (freeing from noxious matter)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Acting like an antiseptic

Synonyms:

cleansing; purifying

Similar:

antiseptic (thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms)

 Context examples 

This results in a complete cleansing of the colon.

(PEG-3350/Sodium Sulfate/Sodium Chloride/Potassium Chloride/Sodium Ascorbate/Ascorbic Acid-based Laxative, NCI Thesaurus)

This increases both the water content and volume of stool, which results in increased gastrointestinal motility and the evacuation of colonic contents leading to a complete cleansing of the colon.

(PEG-based Laxative NER1006, NCI Thesaurus)

Just before him Tom lay motionless upon the sward; but the murderer minded him not a whit, cleansing his blood-stained knife the while upon a wisp of grass.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Then came the cleansing of the kitchen.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

It was my task to tally the pelts as they came aboard from the boats, to oversee the skinning and afterward the cleansing of the decks and bringing things ship-shape again.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

A liquid composed of active and inert ingredient(s) in an anionic surfactant, for cleansing.

(Medicated Liquid Soap Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

A solid in the shape of a bar composed of active and inert ingredient(s) in an anionic surfactant, for cleansing.

(Medicated Bar Soap Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

A substance composed of active and/or inert ingredient(s) in an anionic surfactant, for cleansing.

(Medicated Soap Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

A solution or suspension composed of an anionic surfactant used for cleansing.

(Liquid Soap Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

The first-pass and cleansing effects of the lung are not available when the agent is given by this route.

(Intraarterial Route of Administration, NCI Thesaurus)