wash

come out in the wash be resolved eventually with no lasting harm. informal

2013Daily Telegraph By that stage in life, they are more relaxed, more philosophical, see more of the positive than the negative in the young and know that, in the end, most things will come out in the wash.

wash its face (of a business enterprise) earn enough income to cover its costs; break even. informal

2005Waterford News and Star He said the Council's waste management collection was failing to make enough money to 'wash its face'.

wash your dirty linen in public discuss or argue about your personal affairs in public.

☞ This expression dates from the early 19th century in English; a similar French expression about linge sale is attributed to Napoleon.

wash your hands go to the toilet. euphemistic

wash your hands of disclaim responsibility for.

☞ This phrase originally alluded to the biblical description of Pontius Pilate, who, when he was forced to condemn Jesus to death, sent for a bowl of water and ritually washed his hands before the crowd as a sign that he was innocent of 'this just person' (Matthew 27:24).

won't wash will not be believed or accepted. informal

2011The Register It's been very secretive about its protocols and security, refusing interoperability and asking users to just trust in Skype for their security. That won't wash in the real world.