bleach

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Synonyms 1.4.2 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Middle English blechen, from Old English blǣcean, derivation of blāc "pale", from Germanic *blaikos

[edit] Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːtʃ

[edit] Noun

bleach (countable and uncountable; plural bleaches)

1. (uncountable) A chemical, such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide, or a preparation of such a chemical, used for disinfecting or whitening.
2. (countable) A variety of bleach.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to bleach (third-person singular simple present bleaches, present participle bleaching, simple past and past participle bleached)

1. (transitive) To treat with bleach, especially so as to whiten (fabric, paper, etc) or lighten (hair).
2. (intransitive, biology) For corals to lose color due to stress-induced expulsion of symbiotic unicellular algae.

   Once coral bleaching begins, corals tend to continue to bleach even if the stressor is removed.

[edit] Synonyms

• blanch

[edit] Translations