What does it mean to wash your hands?

(i know it means that you went to the bathroom, i mean the phrase, figuratively, the idiom)

By wash I think it means get rid of, your hands might suggest youve done something. maybe it means to gget something off your chest.

For example:

John washed his hands of the matter.

in other words John, showed his unwillingness to accept responsibility or share complicity in something.

hope this helps :)

The answer is william henry harrison pursued and defeated british forces retreating into canada.