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brainwash

noun
/ˈbɹeɪnwɒʃ/

Etymology

From brain + wash, a calque of Chinese 洗腦 /洗脑 (xǐnǎo), literally to wash the brain. Usage via U.S. military during the Korean War.

  1. calqued from 洗腦

Definitions

  1. A distorting effect upon one's memory, belief, or ideas, as by propaganda.

  2. To affect one's mind by using extreme mental pressure or any other mind-affecting…

    To affect one's mind by using extreme mental pressure or any other mind-affecting process. (e.g. hypnosis)

  3. To take from an electronically controlled machine its stored-up information

    To take from an electronically controlled machine its stored-up information; to erase a computer's programming. (1960)

  4. ›+ 1 more definition

    1. To persuade completely and forcibly.

      • The news media brainwashed many people.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for brainwash. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA