wipe - technical definition

(1) To completely erase data from memory or the hard disk. See file wipe.

(2) A digital video effect that places one image over another. Although there are a myriad varieties, the classic wipe is a scene transition where the next scene slides horizontally or vertically over the current one. Another common wipe is the circle wipe. A small circle that contains another scene starts to grow in the middle of the current frame and gradually fills the entire frame.