Dash
/dæʃ/
Definitions
5 meaningsTo run or move quickly or suddenly; to hurry.
/dæʃ/
To move or run quickly.
She dashed across the road to catch the bus.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're late for school and have to hurry! When you dash, you move very quickly because you're in a rush.
👶 For kids: To run super fast!
More Examples
The dog dashed after the ball.
He dashed into the store to buy some milk.
How It's Used
"The sprinter dashed across the finish line."
"He dashed out of the house when he heard the fire alarm."
To strike or throw with force; to shatter or destroy.
/dæʃ/
To strike or throw something with force.
He dashed the cup to the ground in anger.
💡 Simply: Imagine you get really angry and throw your toy on the floor. That's like dashing something.
👶 For kids: To throw something hard and break it!
More Examples
The waves dashed against the rocks.
The bad news dashed his dreams of going to the festival.
How It's Used
"He dashed the glass against the wall."
"The news dashed all his hopes."
A sudden quick movement or rush.
/dæʃ/
A sudden quick movement.
He made a dash for the door.
💡 Simply: Imagine running really quickly for a short distance, like trying to catch your favorite ice cream truck! That quick run is a dash.
👶 For kids: A quick run or jump!
More Examples
The dog made a dash to greet him.
With a dash of courage, she faced her fear.
How It's Used
"His sudden dash to the side caught the opponent off guard."
"With a sudden dash, she ran after the escaped dog."
A small quantity; a trace or hint.
/dæʃ/
A small amount or trace.
Add a dash of pepper to the soup.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're baking cookies, and you add just a tiny bit of vanilla. That little bit is a dash.
👶 For kids: A little bit of something!
More Examples
He showed a dash of excitement.
There's a dash of mystery about her.
How It's Used
"Add a dash of salt for flavor."
"There was a dash of humor in his serious speech."
A punctuation mark (— or –) used to indicate a break in thought, or to separate parts of a sentence.
/dæʃ/
A punctuation mark (-).
The dash is used for a sudden break in a sentence.
💡 Simply: Imagine a long line like this - . It separates parts of a sentence.
👶 For kids: A long line used in writing like this -.
More Examples
He paused—then continued speaking.
Use a dash to show a parenthetical statement—like this one—that has a special meaning.
How It's Used
"Use a dash to indicate a sudden break in thought."
"The sentence includes a dash."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
dash off
To quickly write or produce something.
"I'll dash off a quick email."
a dash of
A small amount of something, often used with food or abstract qualities.
"Add a dash of salt to the soup."
dash someone's hopes
To destroy or ruin someone's hopes or plans.
"The bad news dashed her hopes of going to the concert."
From Middle English dashen, probably of Scandinavian origin, related to Old Norse *þáska ('to strike, beat').
The word 'dash' has been used since the late 14th century, evolving from earlier meanings of striking or beating to include the sense of quick movement.
Memory tip
Imagine a quick, urgent movement. Think of someone running to catch a bus.