hash

¹

[ hash ]

noun

1. a dish of diced or chopped meat and often vegetables, as of leftover corned beef or veal and potatoes, sautéed in a frying pan, or of meat, potatoes, and carrots cooked together in gravy.
2. a mess, jumble, or muddle:

   a hash of unorganized facts and figures.

3. a reworking of old and familiar material:

   This essay is a hash of several earlier and better works.

4. Computers.
   1. garbage ( def 8 ).
   2. hash value ( def ).
   3. hashing ( def 2 ).
   4. hash mark ( def 2 ).
   5. hash table ( def ).
5. Radio and Television Slang. electrical noise on an analog radio or, appearing as snow, in an analog television picture, caused by interfering outside sources that generate sparking.

verb (used with object)

1. to chop into small pieces; make into hash; mince.
2. to muddle or mess up:

   We thought we knew our parts, but when the play began we hashed the whole thing.

3. to discuss or review (something) thoroughly (often followed by out ):

   They hashed out every aspect of the issue.

verb phrase

1. to bring up again for consideration; discuss, especially in review:

   At the class reunion they hashed over their college days.

hash

²

[ hash ]

noun

, Slang.

1. hashish.

hash

¹

/ hæʃ /

noun

1. slang.
   short for hashish

hash

²

/ hæʃ /

noun

1. a dish of diced cooked meat, vegetables, etc, reheated in a sauce
2. something mixed up
3. a reuse or rework of old material
4. make a hash of informal.
   1. to mix or mess up
   2. to defeat or destroy
5. settle someone's hash or fix someone's hash informal.
   to subdue or silence someone

verb

1. to chop into small pieces
2. to mix or mess up

hash

³

/ hæʃ /

noun

1. the character (#) used to precede a number
2. this sign used in printing or writing to indicate that a space should be inserted

Other Words From

• un·hashed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hash¹

First recorded in 1645–55; from French hacher “to cut up,” derivative of hache “ax,” hatchet

Origin of hash²

By shortening

Word History and Origins

Origin of hash¹

C17: from Old French hacher to chop up, from hache hatchet

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. make a hash of, to spoil or botch:

   The new writer made a hash of his first assignment.

2. settle someone's hash, Informal. to stop, silence, or subdue:

   If she keeps badmouthing me, I'm going to have to settle her hash.

More idioms and phrases containing hash

In addition to the idiom beginning with hash , also see make a hash of ; settle someone's hash ; sling hash .

Example Sentences

Marks had first come to his attention in 1973 when he got away with smuggling hash into the US by placing it into the speakers of British rock bands when they went there on tour.

From BBC

“We bundled up pretty good. None of my kids had played in the snow. We couldn’t see the numbers, couldn’t see the hash marks.”

From Los Angeles Times

I encourage pro-democracy people to engage with like-minded folks and hash it all out.

From Salon

The political pundits and armchair psychiatrists will be hashing that one out for decades.

From Los Angeles Times

The bowl “features crisp hash browns with a blend of tender shredded brisket, scrambled eggs, smoked cheddar cheese, poblano peppers, caramelized onions, and seasonings, all topped with a drizzle of cheddar queso.”

From Salon

Related Words

• stew