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Mr. Tom Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary

I have to do the washing .Vs I have to do the washing up.

Hi

I always get confused by these two sentences.

I have to do the washing up. (dishes, right?)
I have to do the washing. (laundry, right?)

And I think that most people in the US won't use either expression -- they will use phrases like "do the laundry" or "do the dishes". 

Could you please shed some light on this?

Tom

PS: What about "I have to wash up." Does it make any sense?
  

Top answer

Mr. Tom I have to do the washing up. )I have to do the washing.

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9 Answers
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Mr. TomI have to do the washing up. (dishes, right?)I have to do the washing. (laundry, right?)
Yes.
Mr. TomAnd I think that most people in the US won't use either expression -- they will use phrases like "do the laundry" or "do the dishes".
Yes. Those are more commonly used in the US.
Mr. TomPS: Wh
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As in many cultures idioms may depend on location. I have to do the washing usually refers to laundry, whereas washing up is much more general.
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Thanks AS!

Two more questions. I have to wash up.

If the speaker says this sentence at home, it will mean that he has to do the dishes, but if said at a restaurant, the sentence will mean that the person has to wash his hands. Right?

Also, can it be substituted for "Wash your hands."?
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Certainly here (Scotland) washing = clothing, washing up = dishes.
I'm not a restaurant-goer but I wonder if "wash up" means to avoid paying the bill (ie you disappear off to wash hands when the bill is to come for someone to pay, so others end up paying it) or even to pay the bill (wash up = finish off) - just my thoughts! to "wash your hands" of something means to (try to) have nothing to do
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It might be a regionalism.. My mom would tell us kids, "Dinner's about ready. Go wash up. "
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meteorquakeI wonder if "wash up" means to avoid paying the bill (ie you disappear off to wash hands ...
Not here (U.S.) Here "disappearing" from the restaurant when it's time to pay the bill is called "dine and dash".
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I have heard in some regional variations of AmE the saying, "I have to do the wash" referring to laundry. However, the most common expressions are:

I have to do the laundry. -- Refers to clothes and covers both the washing and drying aspects.
I have to do the dishes. -- Same as above, but referring to dishes, obviously.
I have to wash up. -- To wash one's own hands.
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"Wash up" would never mean wash hands here wherever I've been (UK).
"To do the wash" would be recognised here as the laundry too.
d
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meteorquake"Wash up" would never mean wash hands here wherever I've been (UK).
Yes, I think it's an AmE thing. Even here it is somewhat specific to the situation of going to wash one's hands before eating or before some other action of the sort. It doesn't quite work in other tenses, or relies upon context heavily. For example, "He is washed-up" does not me
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