1British The process of washing used crockery, cutlery, and other kitchen utensils.
‘they've finished the washing-up’
‘And the fact that you eat them out of the tin means less washing-up than your average pie.’
‘The other advantage is that there is very little washing-up as it is served from the pan it was cooked in.’
‘They had been through this situation before; if the draining board is full, Kimberley dries what she can while Beck finishes off the washing-up.’
‘With just Gordon, alias Black Jake, and 17-year-old Adam, as crew, we all took turns with the cooking, washing-up, and night-time watches.’
‘It is much larger than the average minuscule Japanese hotel room, with the convenience of a fully fitted kitchen but without the hassle of having to do the washing-up - dishwashers and housekeeping teams are on hand to take care of all that.’
‘The downside of this is that the noise of running a tap, cleaning your teeth or doing the washing-up can blot out words and phrases leaving you astonished or bewildered by what you think you heard.’
‘After dinner when the washing-up was done, we would then sit on the porch and star gaze, talking for what seemed to be hours about the night sky.’
‘Dinner ended quickly, and Shaila hurried through the washing-up.’
1.1Crockery, cutlery, and other kitchen utensils that are to be washed.
‘the sink is full of washing-up’
‘The washing-up is left to build up (another excuse) and is done once a day or the sink is left half full and hot water from the kettle goes in when I've made a cup of tea and I catch up on the things hanging around.’
‘This is a clever production that takes you deep into the heartland of motherhood - the kitchen - and discovers weeping, wailing, bleakness, sudden catastrophe and piles of washing-up.’
‘We haven't done this in a while, as most meals have been defined by their lack of preparation and cooking, the minimal washing-up created, and by their ability to be eaten whilst sitting cross legged on the floor.’
‘This includes ‘emptying down work surfaces, cleaning the sink and cooker and wiping paintwork’ - though the bedders are not expected to fight through piles of washing-up.’
Are You Learning English? Here Are Our Top English Tips