to strike or smash violently, esp. so as to break to pieces: He dashed the plate into smithereens against the wall.
2.
to throw or thrust violently or suddenly: to dash one stone against another.
3.
to splash, often violently; bespatter (with water, mud, etc.): He recovered consciousness when they dashed water in his face.
4.
to apply roughly, as by splashing: to dash paint here and there on the wall.
5.
to mix or adulterate by adding another substance: to dash wine with water.
6.
to ruin or frustrate (hopes, plans, etc.): The rain dashed our hopes for a picnic.
7.
to depress; dispirit: The failure dashed his spirits.
8.
to confound or abash: His rejection dashed and humiliated him.
–verb (used without object)
9.
to strike with violence: The waves dashed against the cliff.
10.
to move with violence; rush: The horses dashed out of the burning stable.
–noun
11.
a small quantity of anything thrown into or mixed with something else: a dash of salt.
12.
a hasty or sudden movement; a rush or sudden onset: They all made a dash for the door.
13.
the mark or sign (—) used to note an abrupt break or pause in a sentence or hesitation in an utterance, to begin and end a parenthetic word, phrase, or clause, to indicate the omission of letters or words, to divide a line, to substitute for certain uses of the colon, and to separate any of various elements of a sentence or series of sentences, as a question from its answer.
14.
the throwing or splashing of liquid against something: the dash of the waves against the dock.
15.
the sound of such splashing: The dash of the waves on the beach could be heard from afar.
16.
spirited action; élan; vigor in action or style: The dancer performed with spirit and dash.
to give a tip or bribe to (esp. a government employee).
[Origin: 1780–1790; perh. first recorded in D as dache, dasche (1602); orig. uncert., but often alleged to be < Pg das (you) give (2d sing. pres. indic. of dar to give)]
1297, probably from a Scandinavian source, somehow imitative. The oldest sense is that in dash to pieces and dashed hopes. Intrans. meaning "move quickly" appeared c.1300, that of "to write hurriedly" is 1726. Sporting sense of "race run in one heat" is from 1881. Dashboard of an automobile is first recorded 1904, from earlier meaning "board in front of a carriage to stop mud from being splashed ("dashed") into the vehicle by the horse's hoofs" (1846).
distinctive and stylish elegance; "he wooed her with the confident dash of a cavalry officer"
2.
a quick run
3.
a footrace run at top speed; "he is preparing for the 100-yard dash"
4.
a punctuation mark (-) used between parts of a compound word or between the syllables of a word when the word is divided at the end of a line of text [syn: hyphen]
5.
the longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code
6.
the act of moving with great haste; "he made a dash for the door"
verb
1.
run or move very quickly or hastily; "She dashed into the yard" [syn: dart]
2.
break into pieces, as by striking or knocking over; "Smash a plate" [syn: smash]
3.
hurl or thrust violently; "He dashed the plate against the wall"; "Waves were dashing against the rock" [syn: crash]
4.
destroy or break; "dashed ambitions and hopes"
5.
cause to lose courage; "dashed by the refusal" [syn: daunt]
6.
add an enlivening or altering element to; "blue paint dashed with white"
A punctuation mark (—) used to indicate a sudden break in thought, to set off parenthetical material, or to take the place of such expressions as that is and namely: “He's running for reelection — if he lives until then”; “Very few people in this class — three, to be exact — have completed their projects”; “She joined the chorus for only one reason — she loves to sing.” In the last example, where the parenthetical material comes at the end of the sentence rather than in the middle, a colon could be used instead of the dash.
Dash\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dashed; p. pr. & vb. n. Dashing.] [Of. Scand. origin; cf. Dan daske to beat, strike, Sw. & Icel. daska, Dan. & Sw. dask blow.]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. 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. To put to shame; to confound; to confuse; to abash; to depress. --South. Dash the proud games?er in his gilded car. --Pope. 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. 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. To erase by a stroke; to strike out; knock out; -- with out; as, to dash out a word.
Dash\, v. i. To rust 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.
Dash\, n. 1. Violent striking together of two bodies; collision; crash. 2. A sudden check; abashment; frustration; ruin; as, his hopes received a dash. 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. 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. Energy in style or action; animation; spirit. 6. A vain show; a blustering parade; a flourish; as, to make or cut a great dash. [Low] 7. (Punctuation) 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. --John Wilson. 8. (Mus.) (a) 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. (b) The line drawn through a figure in the thorough bass, as a direction to raise the interval a semitone. 9. (Racing) A short, spirited effort or trial of speed upon a race course; -- used in horse racing, when a single trial constitutes the race.
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