launder

¹laun·der

verb \ˈlȯn-dər, ˈlän-\

laun·deredlaun·der·ing \-d(ə-)riŋ\

Definition of LAUNDER

transitive verb

1

: to wash (as clothes) in water

2

: to make ready for use by washing and ironing <a freshly laundered shirt>

3

: to transfer (as illegally obtained money or investments) through an outside party to conceal the true source

4

: sanitize 2 <laundered language>

intransitive verb

: to wash or wash and iron clothing or household linens

— laun·der·er \-dər-ər\ noun

Examples of LAUNDER

1. He used a phony business to launder money from drug dealing.
2. <had to launder the quarterback's off-the-cuff's remarks before they could be quoted in the newspaper>

Origin of LAUNDER

Middle English launder, noun

First Known Use: 1664

Related to LAUNDER

Synonyms

bowdlerize, clean (up), expurgate, censor, red-pencil

Related Words

cleanse, purge, purify; abbreviate, blue-pencil, edit, shorten; bleep, blip, cut (out), delete, excise, expunge, gut, x (out); black out, repress, silence, suppress; censure, condemn, denounce; examine, review, screen, scrutinize

Near Antonyms

approve, authorize, sanction

Rhymes with LAUNDER

maunder

²launder

noun

Definition of LAUNDER

: trough; especially : a box conduit conveying particulate material suspended in water in ore dressing

Origin of LAUNDER

Middle English, launderer, from Anglo-French lavandere, from Medieval Latin lavandarius, from Latin lavandus, gerundive of lavare to wash — more at lye

First Known Use: 1667