hash

¹ American  

[hash] / hæʃ /

noun

1. a dish of diced or chopped meat and often vegetables, as of leftover corned beef or veal and potatoes, sautéed in a frying pan, or of meat, potatoes, and carrots cooked together in gravy.

2. a mess, jumble, or muddle.

   a hash of unorganized facts and figures.

3. a reworking of old and familiar material.

   This essay is a hash of several earlier and better works.

4. Computers.

   1. garbage.

   2. hash value.

   3. hashing.

   4. hash mark.

   5. hash table.

5. Radio and Television Slang. electrical noise on an analog radio or, appearing as snow, in an analog television picture, caused by interfering outside sources that generate sparking.

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verb (used with object)

1. to chop into small pieces; make into hash; mince.

2. to muddle or mess up.

   We thought we knew our parts, but when the play began we hashed the whole thing.

3. to discuss or review (something) thoroughly (often followed byout ).

   They hashed out every aspect of the issue.

verb phrase

1. hash over to bring up again for consideration; discuss, especially in review.

   At the class reunion they hashed over their college days.

idioms

1. settle someone's hash, to stop, silence, or subdue.

   If she keeps badmouthing me, I'm going to have to settle her hash.

2. make a hash of, to spoil or botch.

   The new writer made a hash of his first assignment.

hash ² American  

[hash] / hæʃ /

noun

Slang.

1. hashish.

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hash ¹ British  

/ hæʃ /

noun

1. a dish of diced cooked meat, vegetables, etc, reheated in a sauce

2. something mixed up

3. a reuse or rework of old material

4. informal

   1. to mix or mess up

   2. to defeat or destroy

5. informal to subdue or silence someone

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verb

1. to chop into small pieces

2. to mix or mess up

hash ² British  

/ hæʃ /

noun

1. the character (#) used to precede a number

2. this sign used in printing or writing to indicate that a space should be inserted

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hash ³ British  

/ hæʃ /

noun

1. slang short for hashish

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hash More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing hash

• make a hash of
• settle someone's hash
• sling hash

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Other Word Forms

• unhashed adjective

Etymology

Origin of hash¹

First recorded in 1645–55; from French hacher “to cut up,” derivative of hache “ax,” hatchet

Origin of hash²

By shortening

Example Sentences

Analysts say more disputes are likely to occur between businesses, as they try to hash out who is owed what when, or if, the tariff refunds arrive.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

Lamb Weston, based in Idaho, has a market value of close to $6.5 billion and is a major producer of frozen-potato products including french fries, hash browns and tater tots.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

The annual meetings are the country’s biggest political event, bringing together about 2,900 delegates to hash out economic policies and socio-economic priorities.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

But it was Russell's bad luck to join Mercedes just as they made a hash of the new regulations that were introduced in 2022.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

My stomach turns upside down, and the hash browns slosh around.

From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle

Related Words

• stew