Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Water in which dishes are to be or have been washed.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Water in which dishes have been washed.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Water in which dishes have been washed.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Water that dishes and cooking utensils have been washed in
  • noun by extension Anything dull and lacking interest or flavour

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun water in which dishes and cooking utensils are washed

Etymologies

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Examples

  • I should know by now that "I am up to my elbows in dishwater" is not a good reason to fail to write something down.

    Barnstorming on an Invisible Segway 2009

  • Of course, I had to be up to my elbows in dishwater and have to STOP doing dishes, check the phone, go back and start the process all over.

    Telemarketers reudaly 2003

  • One a redhead and one is, I call a dishwater blonde, came in and sat down at the center table, center row.

    My Dark Places Ellroy, James, 1948- 1996

  • As a child I thought a pound of flesh was a euphemism for his manhood, the kitchen not really a room but a dungeon of tepid, slick dishwater and never believed promises.

    Fighting Irish Tara M. M. Larkin 2011

  • That does seem to be the important push these days - convincing people that sustainable food, clothing, practices etc. are more mainstream than the traditional image of unwashed hippies eating lentils while wearing hemp in their off-the-grid log cabin - or the more modern but still unappealing yuppie couple who ride bicycles everywhere, use cloth diapers and recycle their dishwater, and eat tofurky.

    Stylish and sustainable 2009

  • His hair was blond sans dishwater and his eyes were a pale aqua green, “like the water of Lake Huron when it laps the shores of Mackinac Island,” his mother used to say—before she stopped noticing.

    Amaryllis in Blueberry Christina Meldrum 2011

  • And the hair she thought was golden blond is dishwater at the roots.

    Amaryllis in Blueberry Christina Meldrum 2011

  • All those colorful melodies quickly turned dishwater gray.

    In concert: Smith Westerns at Rock & Roll Hotel 2011

  • By the time Ben, the night bartender, arrived to relieve me, my feet ached, my sweater was ruined by splattered grease, and I was up to my elbows in dishwater.

    How to Flirt with A Naked Werewolf Molly Harper 2011

  • I watched in shock as Evie went to take the menus from a compliant Pete, bumped his arm, and sent the menus plopping into the dishwater with a loud splash.

    How to Flirt with A Naked Werewolf Molly Harper 2011

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