laundering
laundering
Pronunciation
/ˈlɔːndərɪŋ/
Syllable Breakdown:
laun-: /lɔːn/ - The 'l' sound as in "light," the 'aw' sound as in "caught," and the 'n' sound as in "nose."
der-: /dər/ - The 'd' sound as in "dog" and the 'er' sound as in "bird."
ing: /ɪŋ/ - The 'i' sound as in "sit" and the 'ng' sound as in "sing."
Word Form Variations
Verb (base form): launder
Verb (third-person singular present): launders
Verb (past tense/past participle): laundered
Verb (present participle/gerund): laundering
Noun: launderer (person who launders)
Noun: laundering (the act or process)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Launder (present participle: laundering)
Definition 1: The act of cleaning clothes, linens, or other fabric items, typically using water, detergent, and a washing machine, followed by drying and often ironing.
Synonyms: wash, cleanse, scrub, rinse
Antonyms: soil, dirty, stain, sully
Definition 2: The process of concealing the origins of illegally obtained money by routing it through legitimate businesses or financial transactions, thereby making it appear to have come from a legal source.
Synonyms: whitewash, legitimize (informal), clean up (informal)
Antonyms: expose, reveal, uncover, incriminate
Noun
Laundering
Definition 1: The activity or process of washing and cleaning clothes or other textiles.
Synonyms: washing, cleaning, laundry
Antonyms: soiling, dirtying
Definition 2: The illegal practice of making large amounts of money obtained from serious crimes (such as drug trafficking or terrorism) appear to originate from a legitimate source.
Synonyms: money laundering, financial subterfuge
Antonyms: transparency, disclosure, exposure
Examples of Use
Books:
"He spent years building a complex financial network in the Caribbean, perfecting the art of laundering his ill-gotten gains through shell corporations." (Fictional Thriller, specific title unavailable but common trope)
"The detective's investigation led him deep into the underworld, uncovering a massive money laundering scheme that stretched across three continents." (Crime Novel, common plot device)
Newspapers:
"A prominent politician was yesterday arrested on suspicion of laundering millions of shillings acquired through corrupt tenders." (Daily Nation, Kenya - hypothetical headline, reflecting common news)
"New regulations are being proposed to combat international laundering activities that funnel funds to terrorist organizations." (The Guardian, UK - hypothetical headline, reflecting global news)
Online Publications:
"Understanding the legal ramifications of laundering is crucial for businesses, especially those dealing with large international transactions." (Forbes.com - hypothetical article title, reflecting business news/advice)
"Cryptocurrencies present new challenges for financial authorities in preventing laundering due to their decentralized nature." (CoinDesk.com - hypothetical article title, reflecting tech/finance news)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television Series (Crime Drama): "Our team has traced these funds back to a series of offshore accounts – this is a classic case of money laundering." (Dialogue from a show like Ozark or Breaking Bad)
Film (Action/Thriller): (Character speaking to another) "He's not just a drug dealer; he's got a whole operation set up for laundering the cash." (Dialogue from a film like The Wolf of Wall Street or Heat)
Documentary (True Crime): "The documentary delved into the sophisticated methods employed by criminal organizations for laundering the profits from their illicit activities, often using seemingly legitimate businesses as fronts." (Narration from a documentary about financial crime)
Video Game (Grand Theft Auto series): (Player character often engaged in or encountering missions related to money laundering within the game's criminal underworld storyline.)
Podcast (Investigative Journalism): "In this episode, we'll expose how a seemingly reputable charity was, in fact, a front for large-scale laundering of funds." (Podcast host introducing an episode on financial crime)
General Public Discourse:
"My weekend consists of laundering all the accumulated dirty clothes from the week – it's a never-ending battle!" (Casual conversation among friends, referring to the act of washing clothes)
"People are worried about the new regulations on digital payments because they fear it's a way to track everyone's transactions and prevent legitimate money from being used without scrutiny, but the government says it's to stop laundering." (Public discussion about financial policy)
"That new dry cleaner does an excellent job with delicate fabrics; I always take my suits there for laundering." (Recommendation or personal experience shared)
10 Famous Quotes Using Laundering
"The purpose of money laundering is to obscure the source of ill-gotten gains." (Often attributed to financial crime experts or government agencies, reflecting a common definition)
"Follow the money... it will lead you to the truth." (Deep Throat, All the President's Men, referring metaphorically to uncovering hidden financial activities like laundering)
"We have to make it more difficult for criminals to launder their dirty money." (Common sentiment expressed by political leaders regarding financial crime)
"Money has no smell." (Ancient proverb, implying money is fungible regardless of its origin, relevant to the concept of laundering)
"A lie needs a lie to cover it." (Often attributed to various sources, metaphorically reflecting the layers of deception in financial laundering)
"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." (William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 2, a cynical line sometimes invoked metaphorically when discussing complex legal evasions like money laundering)
"Washing one's hands of the matter." (Pontius Pilate, New Testament, a common idiom for disclaiming responsibility, similar to trying to detach from the origins of something)
"You can't wash off the blood with money." (Proverbial saying, emphasizing that some stains, unlike money, cannot be cleansed by wealth)
"The financial system is the circulatory system of the economy; money laundering is a tumor on that system." (Original quote, metaphorical)
"There's no such thing as a free lunch, especially when it comes to laundered funds." (Original quote, playing on the common idiom)
Etymology
The word "laundering" has a very interesting history, tracing its roots all the way back to Latin!
Think about what "laundering" primarily means: washing things clean. This meaning is at the core of its origin.
The word "launder" (the verb that "laundering" comes from) first appeared in English around the 1660s, with the meaning "to wash linen" or "to wash clothes."
Before "launder" as a verb, there was the noun "launder," which emerged in the mid-15th century. This noun meant "one who washes," especially someone who washes linen.
Now, here's where it gets really interesting: "launder" (the noun) was actually a shortened version, or a "contraction," of an older English word: "lavender." But not "lavender" the plant! In the Middle English period (around the 14th-15th century), "lavender" (sometimes spelled "lavandere" or "lavendere") referred to a "washerwoman" or "washer of linen."
This "lavender" then came from the Old French word "lavandier" (from the 12th century), which also meant "washer" or "launderer."
And finally, if you go even further back, you find the root in Medieval Latin "lavandaria" meaning "a washer" (feminine form) and ultimately from the Latin verb "lavare," which simply means "to wash."
So, in a nutshell:
It all starts with the Latin word "lavare" (to wash).
This evolved into Medieval Latin and Old French words related to washing and washers.
In Middle English, it became "lavender" (meaning a washer-person).
Then, "launder" appeared as a shorter version of that "lavender" (the person).
Finally, in the 1660s, "launder" started being used as a verb to mean "to wash clothes."
The meaning of "laundering" money (making illegal money seem clean) is a much newer development. It only came into common use around the 1960s or 1970s, often associated with the idea of taking "dirty money" and making it "clean" through financial tricks, much like you'd clean dirty clothes. This newer meaning really became widely known during the U.S. Watergate scandal in 1973.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Laundering
Money Laundering: The most common and widely recognized phrase, referring to the illegal process of concealing the origins of illegally obtained money.
Clothes Laundering: A straightforward descriptive phrase for the act of washing clothes.
Laundering Funds: Similar to money laundering, but often used in more formal or financial contexts.
Laundering the Books: (Lesser-known/Figurative) Implies making financial records appear legitimate or hiding discrepancies.
Laundering one's reputation: (Original/Figurative) To try and clean up or make one's tarnished image appear respectable again.
Laundering the past: (Original/Figurative) To attempt to erase or sanitize negative historical events or personal actions.
Through the wash cycle: (Idiom with synonym "wash") Going through a difficult or transformative period, often emerging changed or "cleaned."
To clean up one's act: (Idiom with synonym "clean") To improve one's behavior or performance.
To whitewash something: (Idiom with synonym "wash") To attempt to conceal unpleasant or incriminating facts about someone or something.
A clean slate: (Idiom with synonym "clean") A fresh start, free from past mistakes or obligations.
To scrub the records: (Idiom with synonym "scrub") To completely remove or delete information, often in a secretive or illicit manner.
Washed ashore: (Idiom with synonym "wash") Discovered or appearing in an unexpected place after being hidden or lost (can be literal or figurative for secrets).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of laundering from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
