gash

¹ American  

[gash] / gæʃ /

noun

1. a long, deep wound or cut; slash.

2. Slang: Vulgar.

   1. the vagina.

   2. Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a woman considered as a sex object.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to make a long, deep cut in; slash.

gash ² American  

[gash] / gæʃ /

adjective

Chiefly Scot.

1. wise, sagacious.

2. neat; well-dressed; well-groomed.

---

gash ³ American  

[gash] / gæʃ /

adjective

Scot. Archaic.

1. dreary or gloomy in appearance.

---

gash ¹ British  

/ ɡæʃ /

verb

1. (tr) to make a long deep cut or wound in; slash

---

noun

1. a long deep cut or wound

gash ² British  

/ ɡæʃ /

adjective

1. slang surplus to requirements; unnecessary, extra, or spare

---

Sensitive Note

When referring to a female, this term is used with disparaging intent and perceived as highly insulting. The word cunt shows a similar transfer of meaning from a woman’s genitalia to the woman herself.

Other Word Forms

• ungashed adjective

Etymology

Origin of gash¹

First recorded in 1540–50; alteration of Middle English garsen, garcen “to make medical incisions” (with alteration of s to sh after r), from Old French garser, jarsier “to scarify, wound,” from unrecoreded Vulgar Latin charaxāre, from Greek charássein “to scratch, notch”; character

Origin of gash²

First recorded in 1700–10; origin uncertain

Origin of gash³

First recorded in 1580–90; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

My body was covered in a handful of enlarged mosquito bites, many of them already open gashes from my relentless itching.

From Salon

Winger Kyle Steyn, who has scored three tries in the tournament, is fit after going off with a gashed leg last weekend.

From BBC

His angular head topped with a green felt crown; his toothy mouth a sinister, grimacing gash; his eyes blackened with what looks like charcoal.

From Los Angeles Times

The hull listed to one side, and a very large, splintery gash marred the bow.

From Literature

Satellite images of Yapacana National Park in Amazonas show deep gashes in the earth, where miners have dug enormous open pits.

From The Wall Street Journal