English Meaning & Definitions
To strike or throw something violently against a surface, causing damage or destruction.
- “The stormy ocean waves dashed the wooden boat against the sharp rocks.”
- “The unexpected defeat dashed their hopes of winning the championship.”
To run, move, or travel somewhere with great speed and urgency.
- “She had to dash to the station to catch the last train.”
- “He dashed out of the building as soon as the fire alarm sounded.”
A sudden, quick run or short sprint towards something.
- “They made a mad dash for the shelter when it suddenly started pouring rain.”
- “The athlete trained hard to improve his time in the 100-meter dash.”
A small quantity of a liquid, spice, or ingredient added to food or drink.
- “Add a dash of hot sauce to give the stew a little extra kick.”
- “She added just a dash of milk to her morning coffee.”
A horizontal punctuation mark (– or —) used to indicate a pause, break, or parenthetical thought.
- “An em dash can be used to set off an abrupt change in a sentence's train of thought.”
- “Make sure to place a dash between the page numbers in your citation.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “dash”.
Originating in Middle English as 'dashen', likely borrowed from Middle Dutch or Old Norse 'daska' (meaning to strike or thrash). The word originally denoted violent physical impact or shattering, later expanding in the 16th century to mean rapid movement, and eventually evolving to signify punctuation marks and small measurements.
Picture someone dashing (running fast) to catch a bus while holding a dash (pinch) of salt in their hand.
Frequently Asked Questions About “dash”
1. What is the meaning of “dash” in English?
In English, dash (verb) is defined as: “To strike or throw something violently against a surface, causing damage or destruction.”.
2. How do you use “dash” in a sentence?
“The stormy ocean waves dashed the wooden boat against the sharp rocks.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “dash”?
Originating in Middle English as 'dashen', likely borrowed from Middle Dutch or Old Norse 'daska' (meaning to strike or thrash). The word originally denoted violent physical impact or shattering, later expanding in the 16th century to mean rapid movement, and eventually evolving to signify punctuation marks and small measurements.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.