mash

¹

[mash]

verb (used with object)

1. to crush.

   He mashed his thumb with a hammer.

2. to reduce to a soft, pulpy mass, as by beating or pressure, especially in the preparation of food.

3. to mix (crushed malt or meal of grain) with hot water to form wort.

noun

1. a soft, pulpy mass.

2. a pulpy condition.

3. a mixture of boiled grain, bran, meal, etc., fed warm to horses and cattle.

4. crushed malt or meal of grain mixed with hot water to form wort.

5. British Slang.,  mashed potatoes.

mash

²

[mash]

noun

1. a flirtation or infatuation.

2. a person who seeks another's affection or who is the object of affection.

verb (used with object)

1. to flirt with; court the affections of.

MASH

³

[mash]

noun

1. mobile army surgical hospital.

mash

¹

/ mæʃ /

noun

1. a soft pulpy mass or consistency

2. agriculture a feed of bran, meal, or malt mixed with water and fed to horses, cattle, or poultry

3. (esp in brewing) a mixture of mashed malt grains and hot water, from which malt is extracted

4. informal,  mashed potatoes

5. dialect,  a brew of tea

verb

1. to beat or crush into a mash

2. to steep (malt grains) in hot water in order to extract malt, esp for making malt liquors

3. dialect,  to brew (tea)

4. archaic,  to flirt with

MASH

²

/ mæʃ /

acronym

1. Mobile Army Surgical Hospital

Other Word Forms

• mashed adjective
• masher noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mash¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English mash- and Old English mǣsc-, noun used in compounds, as in Middle English mashfat and Old English mǣscfat “mash-vat,” and mǣscwyrt “mash wort”; cognate with German Maische

Origin of mash²

First recorded in 1870–75; originally theatrical argot; further origin uncertain; flirt ( def. ), sweetheart, lover

Word History and Origins

Origin of mash¹

Old English mǣsc- (in compound words); related to Middle Low German mēsch

Example Sentences

I’ll get a baked potato or mashed potatoes, a salad, pick up a bottle of natural wine and then go home and make dinner for myself and Bobby.

From Los Angeles Times

Growing up, I’ve enjoyed my fair share of samosas, which are typically filled with spiced mashed potatoes and green peas.

From Salon

The compilation album mashes together the best of two albums: “Kid A” and “Amnesiac,” which came out just eight months apart.

From Los Angeles Times

"Sliced sausage, mashed potatoes and beans is my favourite and I really love haggis," he adds.

From BBC

I bucked the trend and mashed garlic and tomato together on that airy, comfortably salty focaccia.

From Salon

Related Words

• chew 
• crush 
• grind 
• scrunch 
• squeeze 
• squish