mash

1 of 5

verb (1)

mashed; mashing; mashes

transitive verb

1
a
: to reduce to a soft pulpy state by beating or pressure
b
: crush, smash
mash a finger
2
: to subject (a substance, such as crushed malt) to the action of water with heating and stirring in preparing wort

mash

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a mixture of ground feeds for livestock
2
: crushed malt or grain meal steeped and stirred in hot water to produce wort
3
: a soft pulpy mass
4
British : mashed potatoes

mash

3 of 5

noun (2)

mash

4 of 5

verb (2)

mashed; mashing; mashes

transitive verb

: to flirt with or seek the affection of

MASH

5 of 5

abbreviation

mobile army surgical hospital

Examples of mash in a Sentence

Verb (1) this press can mash 10 bushels of apples at a time mash the ripe banana before adding it to the mixture Noun (2) she's usually got a mash on moviedom's hunk du jour
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
How To Make Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes These potatoes are ready in just two steps: boil and mash. Stacey Ballis, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2024 Return the hot potatoes to the pan and mash until smooth with a potato masher. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
Guacamole and Radish Slices To make a simple guacamole, mash one-half of a medium avocado with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice and a pinch of salt and/or chili powder. Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Health, 22 Oct. 2024 Another effective method is to mash some of the beans, if present, which will naturally create a creamier texture. Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mash 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English mash-, from Old English māx-; akin to Middle High German meisch mash

Noun (2)

perhaps from mash entry 1

First Known Use

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1870, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mash was in the 13th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near mash

Cite this Entry

“Mash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mash. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

mash

1 of 2 noun
1
: crushed malt or grain meal soaked and stirred in hot water
2
: a mixture of ground feeds for livestock
3
: a soft pulpy mass

mash

2 of 2 verb
1
: to make into a soft pulpy mass by beating or pressure
2
: to expose crushed malt to the action of water with heating and stirring
masher noun

Medical Definition

MASH

abbreviation
mobile army surgical hospital

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