mash

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈmash 

mashed; mashing; mashes

transitive verb

1

a

: to reduce to a soft pulpy state by beating or pressure

b

: crush, smash

mash a finger

2

: to subject (a substance, such as crushed malt) to the action of water with heating and stirring in preparing wort

mash

2 of 5

noun (1)

1

: a mixture of ground feeds for livestock

2

: crushed malt or grain meal steeped and stirred in hot water to produce wort

3

: a soft pulpy mass

4

British : mashed potatoes

mash

3 of 5

noun (2)

: crush sense 1

mash

4 of 5

verb (2)

mashed; mashing; mashes

transitive verb

: to flirt with or seek the affection of

MASH

5 of 5

abbreviation

mobile army surgical hospital

Did you know?

The Evolution of Mash

Those shot by Cupid's arrow know that love can spur a desire to hold one's beloved tightly and never let go. Perhaps that embracing feeling of love is why mash, originally a word for an act of squeezing and crushing, became a term for an intense infatuation, or the object of it, in 1870. The more popular crush showed its loving side in 1884, and main squeeze had begun crossing the lips of sweethearts by 1926. Mash itself is not widely used today, but the compound mash note, referring to a love letter, has enjoyed many happy years since its union in 1890.

Synonyms of mash

Verb (1)

• squeeze
• crush

Noun (2)

• crush

Examples of mash in a Sentence

Verb (1)

this press can mash 10 bushels of apples at a time

mash the ripe banana before adding it to the mixture

Noun (2)

she's usually got a mash on moviedom's hunk du jour

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Even the slice of cold, waxy cheese, mashed into a spoonful of tartare, manages to impart a sense of cohesion and even lusciousness. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026

The Tigers erased an 11-point halftime deficit in the third quarter, knotting the contest at 33-33 before running out of gas — just as Bama was mashing the pedal to the floor. —The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026

Noun

The weevil’s young (grubs) eat the roots, turning them into a stinky, liquid mash. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026

Mains include short ribs with parsnip mash and sherry jus or Basque-style black cod. —Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English mash-, from Old English māx-; akin to Middle High German meisch mash

Noun (2)

perhaps from mash entry 1

First Known Use

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1870, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1877, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mash

• bangers and mash
• mash note
• mash-up
• sour mash

Rhymes for mash

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

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Kids Definition

mash

1 of 2 noun

ˈmash 

1

: crushed malt or grain meal soaked and stirred in hot water

2

: a mixture of ground feeds for livestock

3

: a soft pulpy mass

mash

2 of 2 verb

1

: to make into a soft pulpy mass by beating or pressure

2

: to expose crushed malt to the action of water with heating and stirring

masher noun

Medical Definition

MASH

abbreviation

mobile army surgical hospital