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,” see hatchet

Origin of hash²

By shortening

Example Sentences

Between artificial intelligence, the Iran War, and the future of Taiwan, there’s a lot for the United States and China to hash out—not least of which being the pecking order.

From Slate • May 15, 2026

In 2024, Armenta and Barrera reunited again in secret to hash out what would be Grupo Frontera and Fuerza Regida’s joint EP, “Mala Mía” — “without either group knowing,” Armenta said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

For the $4 breakfast bundle, customers can choose a sausage McMuffin or sausage biscuit, served with hash browns and a small coffee.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

That critical May 4 meeting, where hundreds will gather at the high school to hash out island business, could determine the geotubes’ future.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Using the alphabet he’d written on the board, Mr. Quisling drew a hash mark under a letter for each time it appeared in James’s message.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Related Words

• stew