Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of 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.