dash

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /dæʃ/ See IPA manual

Freq #6189

Meanings

1

verb
To run or move somewhere very quickly.

She dashed across the road to catch the bus.
2

noun
A sudden quick run or movement.

He made a dash for the door when the rain stopped.
3

noun
A small amount of something added to food or drink.

Add a dash of salt to the soup.
4

verb
To destroy or ruin someone's hopes or plans.

The injury dashed his hopes of winning the race.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with dash

dash off Phrasal verb B2

to write something quickly, with little time spent revising it

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to run or move somewhere... shoot

2 noun · a sudden quick run or... bolt

Word family

Forms dasheddashes

Derived forms airdashbackdashbedashdash-dotteddashcamdashingdashismdashlightdashlikedashpointdashpotdashtop

Related forms apostrophe brace bracket colon comma ellipsis guillemet hyphen interpunctinterrobangperiod semicolon

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

dash off
to write something quickly, with little time spent revising it

Verb + adverb

Idioms (1)

See all

cut a dash
to attract admiring attention with a stylish appearance or confident manner

Etymology

From Middle English daschen, dassen, from Danish daske (“to slap, strike”), related to Swedish daska (“to smack, slap, spank”), of obscure origin. Compare German tatschen (“to grope, paw”), Old English dwǣsċan (“to quell, put out, destroy, extinguish”). See also dush.

daschen Middle English daske da

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# dash

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /dæʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 6189

## Meanings
1. To run or move somewhere very quickly.
2. A sudden quick run or movement.
3. A small amount of something added to food or drink.
4. To destroy or ruin someone's hopes or plans.

## Examples
- She dashed across the road to catch the bus.
- He made a dash for the door when the rain stopped.
- Add a dash of salt to the soup.
- The injury dashed his hopes of winning the race.

## Derived Forms
- airdash
- backdash
- bedash
- dash-dotted
- dashcam
- dashing
- dashism
- dashlight
- dashlike
- dashpoint
- dashpot
- dashtop

## Related Forms
- apostrophe
- brace
- bracket
- colon
- comma
- ellipsis
- guillemet
- hyphen
- interpunct
- interrobang
- period
- semicolon

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: daschen
- Root: daske

## Etymology
From Middle English daschen, dassen, from Danish daske (“to slap, strike”), related to Swedish daska (“to smack, slap, spank”), of obscure origin. Compare German tatschen (“to grope, paw”), Old English dwǣsċan (“to quell, put out, destroy, extinguish”). See also dush.

## AI Etymology
dash comes from Middle English daschen, dassen, from Danish daske (“to slap, strike”), related to Swedish daska (“to smack, slap, spank”), of obscure origin. Compare German tatschen (“to grope, paw”), Old English dwǣsċan (“to quell, put out, destroy, extinguish”). See also dush. The historical chain includes Middle English daschen, da daske. Current senses include to run or move somewhere very quickly and A sudden quick run or movement. English relatives and later formations include airdash, backdash, bedash, apostrophe, brace.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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