eyewash
UK /ˈaɪ̯.wɒʃ/ · US /ˈaɪ̯.wɑʃ/ noun, verb
Forms eyewashes eyewashing eyewashed eye wash eye-wash
- noun (countable, uncountable) The washing out of the eyes with copious solution (usually water alone) to quickly remove an irritant, as for example in laboratories and industrial plants; the washing solution itself. “an eyewash station on every floor of the building”
- noun (countable, uncountable) A soothing medicated lotion for the eyes.
- noun (uncountable, slang, figurative) Something deceptive and superficially pleasing but without accurate or genuine substance: camouflage; disguise; false front; pretense; nonsense.
- verb To fool with nonsense or flattery.
- verb (intelligence) To keep information secret by sending false information to many people in one's own organization, and correct information to a select few.
Synonyms
Etymology
Compare typologically Russian глаз замы́лился (glaz zamýlilsja) (akin to мы́ло (mýlo), мыть (mytʹ)).
Webster’s 1913
- noun See Eyewater.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “eyewash”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details