dash

[ dash ]

/ dæʃ /

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See synonyms for: dash / dashed / dashing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to strike or smash violently, especially so as to break to pieces: He dashed the plate into smithereens against the wall.

to throw or thrust violently or suddenly: to dash one stone against another.

to splash, often violently; bespatter (with water, mud, etc.): He recovered consciousness when they dashed water in his face.

to apply roughly, as by splashing: to dash paint here and there on the wall.

to mix or adulterate by adding another substance: to dash wine with water.

to ruin or frustrate (hopes, plans, etc.): The rain dashed our hopes for a picnic.

to depress; dispirit: The failure dashed his spirits.

to confound or abash: His rejection dashed and humiliated him.

verb (used without object)

to strike with violence: The waves dashed against the cliff.

to move with violence; rush: The horses dashed out of the burning stable.

noun

a small quantity of anything thrown into or mixed with something else: a dash of salt.

a hasty or sudden movement; a rush or sudden onset: They all made a dash for the door.

the mark or sign (—) used to note an abrupt break or pause in a sentence or hesitation in an utterance, to begin and end a parenthetic word, phrase, or clause, to indicate the omission of letters or words, to divide a line, to substitute for certain uses of the colon, and to separate any of various elements of a sentence or series of sentences, as a question from its answer.

the throwing or splashing of liquid against something: the dash of the waves against the dock.

the sound of such splashing: The dash of the waves on the beach could be heard from afar.

spirited action; vigor in action or style; élan: The dancer performed with spirit and dash.

Track. a short race: a 100-yard dash.

dashboard.

Telegraphy. a signal of longer duration than a dot, used in groups of dots, dashes, and spaces to represent letters, as in Morse code.

a hasty stroke, especially of a pen.

Archaic. a violent and rapid blow or stroke.

Verb Phrases

dash off,

to hurry away; leave: I must dash off now.
Also dash down . to write, make, accomplish, etc., hastily: We dashed off a letter to announce the news. He dashed down a memo.

OTHER WORDS FOR dash

10 dart, bolt.

11 pinch, bit; touch.

See synonyms for dash on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about dash

cut a dash, to make a striking impression; be ostentatious or showy.

Origin of dash

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb dashen, daishen, dassen “to strike violently (as with a weapon)”; perhaps from Old Norse; compare Danish daske “to slap, flap,” Swedish daska “to slap (with an open hand)”; the noun is derivative of the verb

synonym study for dash

10. See rush¹.

Words nearby dash

Darwin's finches, Darwin tulip, das, DASD, Dasehra, dash, dashboard, dashcam, dashed, dasheen, dasher

Other definitions for dash (2 of 3)

dash²

[ dash ]

/ dæʃ /

verb (used with object) Chiefly British.

to damn (usually used as an interjection).

Origin of dash

First recorded in 1790–1800; euphemism based on d—n, printed form of damn

Other definitions for dash (3 of 3)

dash³

[ dash ]

/ dæʃ /

(in West Africa)

noun

a tip, bribe, or recompense.

bribery.

verb (used with object)

to give a tip or bribe to (especially a government employee).

Origin of dash

First recorded in 1780–1790; perhaps alteration of dashee “gratuity, gift, tip,” used on the African coast along the Gulf of Guinea

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT DASH

What is a basic definition of dash?

Dash is a verb that means to strike violently, to run quickly over a short distance, or to frustrate or ruin. Dash is also used as a noun to mean a small amount of something added to a mixture. Dash has many other senses as a verb and a noun.

Usually, we say that something was dashed against something else. For example, if you dash a glass jar against the ground, you throw or bash it violently against the ground. In this sense, dash often implies that something was destroyed or was smashed into many pieces.

Real-life examples: You might want to dash your phone against your desk when it isn’t working right. You can dash water on your face to help wake you up in the morning.

Used in a sentence: I dashed the clock against the wall and it broke into a dozen pieces.

Dash can also mean to run very quickly over a short distance.

Real-life examples: Holiday shoppers dash to the store to buy gifts before the shelves are empty. Horses dash to the finish line when trying to win a race. You might dash to the bus stop so you don’t miss the bus.

Used in a sentence: I dashed toward the table to stop my cat from falling to the floor.

Dash is used in this same sense as a noun to mean a short burst of movement. It is a synonym of the word sprint.

Used in a sentence: I made a wild dash to the stove to grab the last slice of pizza.

Dash can also mean to frustrate or ruin.

Used in a sentence: My dreams of being a soccer player were dashed when I found out I had asthma.

As a noun, dash means a small amount of something that is used as an ingredient. This sense of dash is synonym of the words hint or pinch.

Real-life examples: A recipe may ask for a dash of cinnamon. You might put a dash of sprinkles on your ice cream cone. A person may add a dash of chlorine to a swimming pool to kill algae.

Used in a sentence: I threw a dash of pepper into the soup.

Where does dash come from?

The first records of dash come from the later 1200s. It comes from the Middle English verb dashen, meaning “to strike violently (with a weapon).”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to dash?

dasher (noun)

What are some synonyms for dash?

What are some words that share a root or word element with dash?

What are some words that often get used in discussing dash?

How is dash used in real life?

Dash is a very common word with multiple meanings, especially “to run quickly.”

Sometimes having a roommate is tragic because today when Allison came home for lunch I wasn't wearing pants & I had to dash to find some

— kayls (@klemireholla) May 27, 2015

Can't see my DM's all of a sudden!! This phone is soon to get dashed against the wall!

— Hal (@halnr3) May 24, 2013

Vote vote vote. I know you don't want to, but please do. It's your vote that may bring change & a dash of hope & belief. So vote vote vote!

— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) June 8, 2017

Try using dash!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of dash?

A. sprint
B. rush
C. creep
D. hurry

How to use dash in a sentence

A riff on a classic tiki cocktail inspired by Vilkhu’s childhood, it combines rum, Campari, fresh lime, falernum, passionfruit liqueur, and homemade roasted mango syrup with a dash of the solution.
Why you should be adding salt to your cocktails|By Céline Bossart/Saveur|September 4, 2020|Popular-Science
With only days remaining in this year’s abbreviated session, senators were allowed Friday to vote on the last-minute dash of legislation remotely.
Morning Report: MTS Rejects Many Who Applied for Disabled Fare Reductions|Voice of San Diego|August 31, 2020|Voice of San Diego
So the automation of these processes is where the mad dash is regarding the development of technology.
‘E-commerce is expensive’: How invisible technology and infrastructure overhauls will save retail|Kayleigh Barber|August 31, 2020|Digiday
It hovers over you, dashes briefly into the car, then returns to your face.
The first murder|Katie McLean|August 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review

Noses raised to catch the wind, the dogs dash across the tall-grass prairie.
Conservation is going to the dogs|Alison Pearce Stevens|April 2, 2020|Science News For Students
Family crests and nicknames are stitched into headrests, colors are specified for seat stitching, veneers are chosen for the dash.
Behind the Wheel of the Bespoke Bentley|Zoe Settle|October 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Local and foreign fashionistas will fill the front rows at the very last minute and dash out when the music is still on.
Who to See and Where to be Seen: The Hot Tips for New York Fashion Week|Barbara Ragghianti|September 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At this point, I decided it would be a good idea to make a mad dash for the vodka.
Meet the Anti-Semites, Truthers, and Alaska Pol at D.C.’s Pro-Putin Soiree|James Kirchick|June 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pharmaceutical company Ohta Isan has a product called Balenine Dash, which is made from whale and claims to give you energy.
Welcome to Japan’s Whale Week, Featuring Curried Whale Meat And Exploding Harpoons|Angela Erika Kubo, Jake Adelstein|June 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 2010, Dash filed for divorce from her husband, Emmanuel Xuereb, alleging years of abuse.
‘Clueless’: How the Greatest Clique of the ‘90s Transformed Into A Shakespearean Tragedy|Marlow Stern|May 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Tom leaped on one side; the buffalo-bull turned short round and made another dash at him.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
For a second Marius considered whether he might not attempt to elude Garnache by a wild and sudden dash towards his men.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
They show to the full the secret of the Marshal's success as a soldier, the blending of ardour with method and dash with caution.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
A man throws up his arms and tumbles headlong, but those that live dash on.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
But suddenly Jessie drove her paddle deep into the water and sent the canoe in a dash to the landing.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn|Margaret Penrose

British Dictionary definitions for dash (1 of 3)

dash¹

/ (dæʃ) /

verb (mainly tr)

to hurl; crashhe dashed the cup to the floor; the waves dashed against the rocks

to mixwhite paint dashed with blue

(intr) to move hastily or recklessly; rushhe dashed to her rescue

(usually foll by off or down) to write (down) or finish (off) hastily

to destroy; frustratehis hopes were dashed

to daunt (someone); cast down; discouragehe was dashed by her refusal

noun

a sudden quick movement; dart

a small admixturecoffee with a dash of cream

a violent stroke or blow

the sound of splashing or smashingthe dash of the waves

panache; stylehe rides with dash

cut a dash See cut (def. 33)

the punctuation mark —, used singly in place of a colon, esp to indicate a sudden change of subject or grammatical anacoluthon, or in pairs to enclose a parenthetical remark

the symbol (–) used, in combination with the symbol dot (·), in the written representation of Morse and other telegraphic codesCompare dah

athletics another word (esp US and Canadian) for sprint

informal short for dashboard

Word Origin for dash

Middle English dasche, dasse

British Dictionary definitions for dash (2 of 3)

dash²

/ (dæʃ) /

interjection

informal a euphemistic word for damn (def. 1), damn (def. 2)

British Dictionary definitions for dash (3 of 3)

dash³

/ (dæʃ) Western African /

noun

a gift, commission, tip, or bribe

verb

to give (a dash) to someone

Word Origin for dash

C16: perhaps from Fanti

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for dash

dash

A punctuation mark (—) used to indicate a sudden break in thought, to set off parenthetical material, or to take the place of such expressions as that is and namely: “He's running for reelection — if he lives until then”; “Very few people in this class — three, to be exact — have completed their projects”; “She joined the chorus for only one reason — she loves to sing.” In the last example, where the parenthetical material comes at the end of the sentence rather than in the middle, a colon could be used instead of the dash.

dash

OTHER WORDS FOR dash

Idioms about dash

Origin of dash

synonym study for dash

Words nearby dash

Other definitions for dash (2 of 3)

Origin of dash

Other definitions for dash (3 of 3)

Origin of dash

MORE ABOUT DASH

What is a basic definition of dash?

Where does dash come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is dash used in real life?

Try using dash!

Words related to dash

How to use dash in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dash (1 of 3)

Word Origin for dash

British Dictionary definitions for dash (2 of 3)

British Dictionary definitions for dash (3 of 3)

Word Origin for dash

Cultural definitions for dash