bash
verbnounverbcommon in dialogue
- //bæʃ//
To strike heavily; to beat.
verb
- 1
informalTo strike heavily; to beat.
The thugs kept bashing the cowering victim.
If the engine won't start, bash it with this hammer.
It was planned that the sick men were to crawl over and simultaneously seize the fire-arms and bash us with them while the women flung themselves upon the trackers.
It isn't the creature's fault that it bashed its head against a tree outside our hole.
- 2
informalTo collide; used with into or together.
Don't bash into me with that shopping trolley.
The bulls backed apart and ran together, tusks clashing — Ed held his trunk down while Conrad curled his high over his head, out of the way of Ed's tusks as the faces bashed together.
- 3
informalTo criticize harshly.
He bashed my ideas.
The entertainment industry, the artistic community, and much of the educational establishment, which so profoundly influence American culture, relentlessly assault religion, promote promiscuity, encourage illegitimacy, and bash America.
This is consistent with new research about to be published by Tax Justice UK that found that, when making the case for a more progressive tax system, bashing the wealthy resonated far less well with voters than specific arguments about closing loopholes and increasing particular taxes.
Etymology
From Middle English *basshen, *basken, likely from Old Norse *baska (“to strike”), akin to Swedish basa (“to baste, whip, lash, flog”), Danish baske (“to beat, strike, cudgel”), German patschen (“to slap”)
noun
- 1
informalA forceful blow or impact.
He got a bash on the head.
- 2
informalA large party; a gala event.
They had a big bash to celebrate their tenth anniversary.
The party level ramps up at Thornaby, where a gaggle of women on a 50th birthday bash join us.
- 3
informalAn attempt at doing something.
give something a bash
I'm not sure I'll be any good at this, but let me have a bash.
This was my first bash at macramé, so I'm quite pleased with how it's turned out.
verb
- 1
obsoleteTo abash (make ashamed)
His countenance was bold and bashed not.
Etymology
From Middle English baschen, baissen. See abash.
Forms
- plural
- bashes
- past tense
- bashed
- past participle
- bashed
- present participle
- bashing
- third person singular
- bashes