rash

¹

[ rash ]

adjective

, rash·er, rash·est.

1. acting or tending to act too hastily or without due consideration.

   Synonyms: foolhardy, indiscreet, precipitate, incautious, venturous, reckless, impetuous, hasty

   Antonyms: cautious

2. characterized by or showing too great haste or lack of consideration:

   rash promises.

rash

²

[ rash ]

noun

1. an eruption or efflorescence on the skin.
2. a multitude of instances of something occurring more or less during the same period of time:

   a rash of robberies last month.

rash

¹

/ ræʃ /

adjective

1. acting without due consideration or thought; impetuous
2. characterized by or resulting from excessive haste or impetuosity

   a rash word

rash

²

/ ræʃ /

noun

1. pathol any skin eruption
2. a series of unpleasant and unexpected occurrences

   a rash of forest fires

Derived Forms

• ˈrashness, noun
• ˈrashly, adverb
• ˈrashˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• rash·ly adverb
• rash·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rash¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; cognate with Dutch, German rasch “quick, brisk,” Old Norse rǫskr “brave”

Origin of rash²

1700–10; < French rache (obsolete), Old French rasche skin eruption, derivative of raschier to scratch, ultimately < Latin rādere to scratch

Word History and Origins

Origin of rash¹

C14: from Old High German rasc hurried, clever; related to Old Norse roskr brave

Origin of rash²

C18: from Old French rasche , from raschier to scratch, from Latin rādere to scrape

Example Sentences

All of this falls against the backdrop of a Supreme Court majority that is rightly suffering historically low public faith in its legitimacy following a rash of transparently partisan decisions like Dobbs and Trump v.

From Slate

The patient developed flu-like symptoms on 22 October and a rash two days later.

From BBC

An mpox rash of pus-filled lesions can last for up to a month.

From BBC

After a day in the garden, my arms usually are crisscrossed with scratches, sunburn, a few punctures from thorns and more often than not, a low-grade rash.

From Los Angeles Times

For instance, alcohol is an effective way to wash off poison oak if you apply it within 30 minutes, he said; otherwise, use juice from the ground-up native mugwort plant to treat the soon-to-follow blistering rash.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• epidemic
• eruption
• flood
• spate
• wave