hash

1 of 3

verb

ˈhash 

hashed; hashing; hashes

transitive verb

1

a

: to chop (food, such as meat and potatoes) into small pieces

b

: confuse, muddle

2

: to talk about often to find a solution

—often used with over or out

hash over a problem

hashed out their differences

hash

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

: chopped food

specifically : chopped meat mixed with potatoes and browned

2

: a restatement of something that is already known

the same old hash

3

a

: hodgepodge, jumble

b

: a confused muddle

made a hash of the whole project

4

a

: pound sign sense 2

b

American football : hash mark sense 1

The snap and hold were good, but the kick from the left hash hooked.

—Danny Emerman

see also:

settle one's hash

hash

3 of 3

noun (2)

: hashish

Synonyms of hash

Verb

• chop

Noun (1)

• jumble
• variety
• medley
• assortment
• collage
• salad
• scramble
• stew
• blend

Examples of hash in a Sentence

Verb

he hashed some roast beef, put it in a pie shell, and topped it with a layer of mashed potatoes

the bookkeeper had so hashed the figures it took weeks to straighten out the accounts

Noun (1)

the docudrama was a hash of facts, half-truths, speculation, and pure fiction

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Start signing, hashing and exchanging messages. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

No sub-tweeting, no digs in the press, just two dudes with a minor disagreement hashing it out man-to-man and then moving on. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026

Noun

Dunkin's fall menu includes several bakery items and the return of the $6 Meal Deal, which comes with a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich, hash browns and a medium hot or iced coffee. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026

Breakfast is a major focus, with traditional eggs-and-meat platters, biscuits and gravy, grits, home fries, hash browns, pancakes, waffles, French toast and a variety of omelets. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

French hacher, from Old French hachier, from hache battle-ax, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German hāppa sickle; akin to Greek koptein to cut — more at capon

First Known Use

Verb

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

1653, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1948, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hash

• hash browns
• hash house
• hash mark
• hash out
• hash over
• hash sign
• make a hash of
• red flannel hash
• settle one's hash

Rhymes for hash

• ash
• bash
• brash
• cache
• cash
• clash
• crash
• dash
• flash
• gash
• lash
• mash

Kids Definition

hash

1 of 3 verb

ˈhash 

1

a

: to chop into small pieces

b

: confuse sense 3, muddle

2

: to talk about : discuss

hashed over the problem

hash

2 of 3 noun

1

: chopped meat mixed with potatoes and browned

2

: a mixture of many different things

hash

3 of 3 noun

: hashish

Etymology

Verb

from French hacher "to chop up into small pieces," from early French hachier (same meaning), from hache "battle-ax"; of Germanic origin — related to hatch entry 4, hatchet

Noun

a shortened form of hashish

Medical Definition

hash

noun

ˈhash 

: hashish