Lewis & Short

ē-lŭo, ŭi, ūtum, 3, v. a., to wash out, rinse out; to wash off, wash clean (class.).

  1. I. Lit.: vascula, Plaut. Aul. 2, 3, 3: patinas, id. Capt. 4, 2, 66: argentum (the silver vessels, the plate), id. Ps. 1, 2, 29: bacas immundas, Col. 12, 52, 21; 6, 3, 4: os, Cels. 3, 4: maculas vestium, Plin. 20, 8, 28, § 72; cf. Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 71; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 46; id. Sest. 29, 63: purpureum colorem omnibus undis, Lucr. 6, 1077; so, colorem, Quint. 1, 1, 5; cf. atramentum, Plin. 35, 6, 25, § 43: aliquid ex aqua, Cels. 7, 21 fin.: corpus, Ov. M. 11, 141: se asinino lacte, Cels. 4, 24 et saep.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. To purify: vasa eluto auro, of pure gold (al. elato), Capitol. Pertin. 8.
      2. 2. To clear, to lay bare: Ponticum Phasim et stagna Maeotidis (sc. avibus), Col. 8, 8, 10.
        1. b. In Plautus (like elavo, II.), to strip one’s self of, to get rid of, squander one’s property, Plaut. Rud. 2, 7, 21 sq.; id. Stich. 5, 2, 21; of money lavished on expensive baths: elutum in balineis, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 5.
  2. II. Trop., to dispose of, remove, clear, or wash away, etc.: ut centurionum profusus sanguis eluatur: num elui praedicatio crudelitatis potest? Cic. Phil. 12, 6; cf.: infectum scelus sub gurgite vasto, Verg. A. 6, 742: crimen, Ov. M. 11, 141: vitia, Quint. 2, 3, 2 et saep.: tales amicitiae sunt remissione usus eluendae, i. e. to get rid of, Cic. Lael. 21; cf.: amara curarum (cadus), Hor. C. 4, 12, 20.
    1. B. To cleanse, purify, make pure or clear: mentes maculatas crimine, Sil. 11, 200; cf. Sen. Ep. 59: mentem, Lact. 5, 19, 34.
      Hence, ēlūtus, a, um, P. a., washed out, i. e. watery, insipid; in the comp.: irriguo nihil est elutius horto (= magis fatuum), Hor. S. 2, 4, 16: (spodi) elutior vis est, Plin. 34, 13, 33, § 129.