wash down

verb

washed down; washing down; washes down

transitive verb

1

: to move or carry downward by action of a liquid

especially : to facilitate the passage of (food) down the gullet with accompanying swallows of liquid

pizza washed down with beer

2

: to wash the whole length or extent of

washed down and scrubbed the front porch

Examples of wash down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Options include the original Wendy’s Signature creamy sauce with just a hint of spiciness, sweet chili, and a Scorchin’ Hot, perfect for washing down with a Frosty. —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2025

Pitchers of the winery's red and white wines made for the perfect accompaniment to wash down the meal. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025

While much of the effort is focused on the waterline, volunteers embark on missions inland to get the trash picked up ahead of the wet winter season and it is washed down to the ocean and pollutes the waters. —Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025

Fresh seafood is abundant thanks to the proximity to the sea, while traditional Turkish meze (washed down with raki, of course), and local specialties like şiş köfte and tantuni await. —Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for wash down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown