go for a bathe

[emp0608]

This is a question for British people. Is the expression "go for a bathe" usually used by people (mostly children) who can't swim or are not good at swimming and who just want to go and enjoy bathing in the water?

Thank you.

 

[Rover_KE]

No — we say 'I'm going to the baths/pool/leisure centre for a dip.'

 

[emp0608]

Thank you, Rover_KE. Do you mean to say that the expression "go for a bathe" is not used? I've never heard of it myself, but Merriam-Webster Online gives the following example sentence: He went for a bathe in the sea. What do you think?

 

[Tdol]

It's not wrong, but it isn't used much, though the sea is one place where it is used- a bathe in a swimming pool sounds unnatural to me.