moisturise

Everyday

1. To put cream or lotion on your skin so that it stays soft and does not get dry. tree →
2. To make something less dry by adding a little water or oil to it. tree →

In the lessons

An everyday and health word: people moisturise dry hands in winter, after swimming, or when they have eczema. In science lessons it links to skin as an organ that can lose water. Common phrases: «moisturise your skin», «moisturise your hands», «moisturising cream».

Examples

• Mum told me to moisturise my hands after washing up. tree →
• In winter my skin gets so dry that I have to moisturise every night. tree →
• The nurse said to moisturise the eczema patches twice a day. tree →
• Dad never moisturises, and his lips get cracked. tree →
• This shampoo claims to moisturise your hair. tree →
• After swimming in chlorine, Grandma always moisturises her face. tree →
• Moisturising cream feels cold when you first put it on. tree →

Note

Regular verb: moisturised, moisturising. UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand often write -ise (moisturise); the USA and Canada write -ize (moisturize). Related words: moisture (noun, uncountable), moisturiser (the cream). Do not confuse with «moisten», which means to make a little wet, not to put cream on.