1640s, "act of wiping," from wipe (v.). From 1708 as "something used in wiping" (especially a handkerchief); 1971 as "disposable absorbent tissue."
wipe (v.)
Old English wipian "to wipe, cleanse," from Proto-Germanic *wipjan "to move back and forth" (cognates: Danish vippe, Middle Dutch, Dutch vippen, Old High German wifan "to swing"), from PIE *weip- "to turn, vacillate, tremble" (source of Latin vibrare "to shake;" see vibrate).
实用例句
1. When he had finished washing he began to wipe the basin clean.
他清洗完后开始把洗脸池擦拭干净。来自柯林斯例句
2. The spill could wipe out the Gulf's turtle population.
这次原油泄漏可能会使波斯湾的海龟灭绝。来自柯林斯例句
3. Why not wipe the slate clean and start all over again?
为什么不洗心革面、从头来过呢？来自柯林斯例句
4. She gave the table a quick wipe and disappeared behind the counter.
她很快地擦了擦桌子，然后就消失到柜台后面去了。来自柯林斯例句
5. Wipe the mushrooms clean and thread them on a string.
