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Entry 16 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Dash

/(dăsh)/ · IPA /dæʃ/
01 v. t. To throw with violence or haste; to cause to strike violently or hastily; -- often used with against.
imp. & p. p. Dashed; p. pr. & vb. n. Dashing
  1. 1.
    To throw with violence or haste; to cause to strike violently or hastily; -- often used with against.
    “If you dash a stone against a stone in the botton of the water, it maketh a sound.” — Bacon.
  2. 2.
    To break, as by throwing or by collision; to shatter; to crust; to frustrate; to ruin.
    “Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” — Ps. ii. 9.
    “A brave vessel, . . . Dashed all to pieces.” — Shak.
    “To perplex and dash Maturest counsels.” — Milton.
  3. 3.
    To put to shame; to confound; to confuse; to abash; to depress.
    “Dash the proud gamester in his gilded car.” — Pope.
  4. 4.
    To throw in or on in a rapid, careless manner; to mix, reduce, or adulterate, by throwing in something of an inferior quality; to overspread partially; to bespatter; to touch here and there; as, to dash wine with water; to dash paint upon a picture.
    “I take care to dash the character with such particular circumstance as may prevent ill-natured applications.” — Addison.
    “The very source and fount of day Is dashed with wandering isles of night.” — Tennyson.
  5. 5.
    To form or sketch rapidly or carelessly; to execute rapidly, or with careless haste; -- with off; as, to dash off a review or sermon.
  6. 6.
    To erase by a stroke; to strike out; knock out; -- with out; as, to dash out a word.
02 v. i. To rush with violence; to move impetuously; to strike violently; as, the waves dash upon rocks.
  1. 1.
    To rush with violence; to move impetuously; to strike violently; as, the waves dash upon rocks.
    “[He] dashed through thick and thin.” — Dryden.
    “On each hand the gushing waters play, And down the rough cascade all dashing fall.” — Thomson.
03 n. Violent striking together of two bodies; collision; crash.
  1. 1.
    Violent striking together of two bodies; collision; crash.
  2. 2.
    A sudden check; abashment; frustration; ruin; as, his hopes received a dash.
  3. 3.
    A slight admixture, infusion, or adulteration; a partial overspreading; as, wine with a dash of water; red with a dash of purple.
    “Innocence when it has in it a dash of folly.” — Addison.
  4. 4.
    A rapid movement, esp. one of short duration; a quick stroke or blow; a sudden onset or rush; as, a bold dash at the enemy; a dash of rain.
    “She takes upon her bravely at first dash.” — Shak.
  5. 5.
    Energy in style or action; animation; spirit.
  6. 6.
    A vain show; a blustering parade; a flourish; as, to make or cut a great dash.[Low]
  7. 7.
    A mark or line [--], in writing or printing, denoting a sudden break, stop, or transition in a sentence, or an abrupt change in its construction, a long or significant pause, or an unexpected or epigrammatic turn of sentiment. Dashes are also sometimes used instead of marks or parenthesis.(Punctuation)
  8. 8.
    The sign of staccato, a small mark [�] denoting that the note over which it is placed is to be performed in a short, distinct manner.(Mus.)
  9. 9.
    A short, spirited effort or trial of speed upon a race course; -- used in horse racing, when a single trial constitutes the race.(Racing)