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

Relying on known intellectual property is a way for studios to hedge their bets on comedies, said David Isaacs, a professor of screen and television writing at the USC School of Cinematic Arts who worked on “MASH” and other shows, and is co-chair of the USC Comedy program.

From Los Angeles Times

These characters barely raise their voices and often use their abilities on the mundane: Kirby’s Sue vanishes to avoid awkward conversations, Moss-Bachrach’s Ben, in a nod to his breakout role as the maître d’ on “The Bear,” uses his mighty fists to mash garlic.

From Los Angeles Times

"Reception school children get one sausage, from Year 2 above you get two sausages and literally an ice cream scoop of mash potato," she explained.

From BBC

It raises the possibility of British birds, bridges, or bangers and mash featuring on the next series of £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.

From BBC

In addition to working on the first five seasons of “The Dukes of Hazzard,” which ran from 1979 to 1985, Hurst appeared on myriad shows including “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “Little House on the Prairie,” “MASH,” “Baretta” and “227” and the miniseries “From Here to Eternity.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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