Call it a wash or It's a wash

Posted by Bruce Kahl on March 18, 2005

In Reply to: Call it a wash or It's a wash posted by Katrina Connor on March 18, 2005

: Does anyone know where these sayings came from

I am not 100% on this but I think the complete phrase is "it's a wash out" as in washing with water.

When something is a wash it is an act of cancellation. You go to a race track and you win ten dollars and you then lose ten dollars which results in a "wash".

You wash something with water to cancel out or obliterate the dirt.

• Call it a wash or It's a wash Smokey Stover 19/March/05