cleaning clothes

laun‧dry /ˈlɔːndri $ ˈlɒːn-/ BrE AmE noun (plural laundries)
1. [uncountable] clothes, sheets etc that need to be washed or have just been washed:
She did the laundry (=washed the clothes etc) and hung it out to dry.
Ben was folding laundry.
clean/dirty laundry
a pile of dirty laundry
2. [countable] a place or business where clothes etc are washed and ↑ironed
⇨ air/wash your dirty laundry at ↑dirty¹(7)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ do the laundry (=wash and dry dirty clothes) I cleaned the kitchen and did some laundry.
▪ fold the laundry (=fold clothes after they have been washed and dried) He was folding the laundry and watching TV.
▪ hang out/up the laundry (=put the laundry outside on a line to dry) My mother was hanging out the laundry in the sun.
■ adjectives
▪ clean/dirty laundry a bag of dirty laundry
■ phrases
▪ a bundle/pile of laundry a pile of laundry waiting to be put away
▪ a load of laundry (=an amount that fits in a washing machine) I do at least one or two loads of laundry every day.
■ laundry + NOUN
▪ a laundry room There's a washing machine in the laundry room.
▪ a laundry basket Pete put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

laundry

laun·dry [laundry laundries] [ˈlɔːndri] [ˈlɔːndri] noun (pl. laun·dries)
1. uncountable clothes, sheets, etc. that need washing, that are being washed, or that have been washed recently
Syn: washing
• a pile of clean/dirty laundry

• a laundry basket/room

2. uncountable, singular the process or the job of washing clothes, sheets, etc
• to do the laundry

• The hotel has a laundry service.

3. countable a business or place where you send sheets, clothes, etc. to be washed
• the hospital laundry
• a laundry van
Word Origin:
early 16th cent.: contraction of Middle English lavendry, from Old French lavanderie, from lavandier ‘person who washes linen’, based on Latin lavanda ‘things to be washed’, from lavare ‘to wash’.
Example Bank:
• Here's a brief laundry list of what needs fixing.
• The hotel offers a free laundry service.
• The housekeeper cooks, does the laundry and cleans.
• There was a pile of clean laundry on her bed.

• Have you done the laundry yet?

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

laundry / ˈlɔːn.dri / / ˈlɑːn- / noun

B2 [ U ] the dirty clothes and sheets that need to be, are being, or have been washed:

I've got to do (= wash) my laundry.

[ C ] a business that washes clothes, sheets, etc. for customers

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

laundry

/lɔ:ndri/
(laundries)

1.
Laundry is used to refer to clothes, sheets, and towels that are about to be washed, are being washed, or have just been washed.
I’ll do your laundry...
He’d put his dirty laundry in the clothes basket.
= washing
N-UNCOUNT

2.
A laundry is a firm that washes and irons clothes, sheets, and towels for people.
We had to have the washing done at the laundry.
N-COUNT

3.
A laundry or a laundry room is a room in a house, hotel, or institution where clothes, sheets, and towels are washed.
He worked in the laundry at Oxford prison.
N-COUNT: usu sing

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

laundry

laun·dry /ˈlɑːndri/ noun, pl -dries
1 [noncount] : clothes, towels, sheets, etc., that need to be washed or that have been washed
• There's a pile of dirty laundry in the laundry basket.
• clean laundry
• a laundry bag
• I have to do the laundry today. [=to wash the dirty clothes, towels, etc.]
- see also dirty laundry
2 [count] : a business or place where clothes, towels, sheets, etc., are washed and dried
• work at/in a laundry
• The patients' sheets are sent regularly to the hospital laundry.