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,” hatchet

Origin of hash²

By shortening

Example Sentences

Surely, someone has made a hash of the plot.

From Los Angeles Times

Sitting on mats under the shade of wide trees, representatives from both sides hash out their terms and conditions before eventually coming to an agreement.

From BBC

Jackson tracked down the former chef of New York’s Plaza Hotel, asking for his corned-beef hash recipe, which included lobster.

From The Wall Street Journal

He is known for bringing his team together around a conference room table to hash things out and settle on a direction.

From The Wall Street Journal

The issue has become so sensitive that COP30's Brazilian presidency has elevated it from technical negotiations to a higher political level, where ministers are now trying to hash out a compromise.

From Barron's

Related Words

• stew