Washout

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈwɒʃaʊt/

Definitions

1. A situation where an event or effort fails completely ; the process of soil or surface material being removed by water erosion ; a heavy rain that causes flooding or damages roads and trails
2. An instance of total failure or unsuccessful outcome ; the washing away of soil or earth by flowing water ; a strong rain that disrupts activities and can wash out paths or roads
3. The complete collapse or breakdown of a plan or effort ; the erosion caused by water flow removing surface layers ; intense precipitation leading to floods and trail or road damage

Etymology: "Washout" is a deverbal noun, formed by turning the phrasal verb "wash out" into a noun. The verb itself is the older, more basic form: to wash something until a stain or dirt is removed, or, more dramatically, for flowing water to carry soil away. The noun grew from that sense of water scouring a path clear, which is why the word still covers both the geological meaning and the sense of a rain heavy enough to damage roads. The figurative sense, an utter failure or a plan that collapses, grew naturally from that physical picture. Something that has been washed out has been stripped away and left as nothing, so a project or event that comes to nothing is described in the same terms. The word moved from describing water on earth to describing outcomes in human affairs without changing its basic shape.

Synonyms: failure, disappointment, flop

Antonyms: success, triumph