Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To secure or bind, as with a rope, cord, or chain.
- noun A stroke or blow with or as if with a whip.
- noun A whip.
- noun The flexible portion of a whip, such as a plait or thong.
- noun Punishment administered with a whip.
- noun A lacerating presence or power.
- noun A caustic verbal attack.
- noun An eyelash.
- intransitive verb To strike with or as if with a whip.
- intransitive verb To strike against with force or violence.
- intransitive verb To beat or swing rapidly.
- intransitive verb To make a scathing oral or written attack against.
- intransitive verb To drive or goad; sting.
- intransitive verb To move swiftly or violently; thrash.
- intransitive verb To aim a sudden blow; strike.
- intransitive verb To beat; flail.
- intransitive verb To make a scathing verbal or written attack. Often used with out.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Slack; slow; sluggish; inactive.
- Lax; loose; soft; hence, watery or insipid.
- Moist and cold, as the weather.
- noun A sort of soft leather.
- noun The flexible part of a whip, usually a cord of braided strips of leather; hence, anything flexible used for flogging; a whip; a scourge: as, to lay on the lash; punishment by the lash.
- noun A stroke with a whip or anything pliant and tough; hence, a stroke of satire; a sarcasm; an expression or retort that cuts or gives pain.
- noun A beating or dashing, as of wind or water; a fluctuating impact.
- noun In weaving, same as
leash , 3. - noun An eyelash.
- To strike with a lash, whip, scourge, or other pliant thing, as a thong, rope, etc.; whip; scourge; flog; subject to the lash as a punishment.
- To satirize; censure with severity.
- To fling or throw recklessly or at random: with out or up.
- To spend recklessly.
- To beat or dash against.
- To comb (the hair).
- To tie or bind with a rope or cord; secure or fasten, as by cordage: as, to
lash anything to a mast or to a yard; to lash a trunk on a coach. - To ply the whip; strike (at something); aim sarcasms; hit out.
- To strike or break out; burst up or out, as a wave or flame.
- To strike out; plunge.
- To break out or plunge recklessly.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun The thong or braided cord of a whip, with which the blow is given.
- noun obsolete A leash in which an animal is caught or held; hence, a snare.
- noun A stroke with a whip, or anything pliant and tough.
- noun A stroke of satire or sarcasm; an expression or retort that cuts or gives pain; a cut.
- noun A hair growing from the edge of the eyelid; an eyelash.
- noun In carpet weaving, a group of strings for lifting simultaneously certain yarns, to form the figure.
- intransitive verb To ply the whip; to strike; to utter censure or sarcastic language.
- intransitive verb to strike out wildly or furiously; also used figuratively.
- transitive verb To strike with a lash; to whip or scourge with a lash, or with something like one.
- transitive verb To strike forcibly and quickly, as with a lash; to beat, or beat upon, with a motion like that of a lash.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word lash.
Examples
-
That this play, with its strong plea for social housing, should arrive at the National in a week when affordable accommodation came under the government's lash, is tremendous.
Men Should Weep; Blasted; When We Are Married Susannah Clapp 2010
-
Lily Burana is as American as apple pie, dazzling as a Fourth of July firecracker, and smarter than a lash from a Senate Majority whip.
-
I guess (even though it is hypothetical) one relation we would have to worry about is some sort of stupid political back lash from the right-wing bigots.
Think Progress » Portugal’s parliament approves same-sex marriage. 2010
-
Occasional bouts of cool rain lash the Gulf of Mexico coast.
-
Occasional bouts of cool rain lash the Gulf of Mexico coast.
-
They had eaten a pair of Perrault's moose-hide moccasins, chunks out of the leather traces, and even two feet of lash from the end of Francois's whip.
-
They had eaten a pair of Perrault's moose-hide moccasins, chunks out of the leather traces, and even two feet of lash from the end of Francois's whip.
Chapter 3 1903
-
The next line is inharmonious in its sound, and mean in its conception; the opposition is obvious, and the word lash used absolutely, and without any modification, is gross and improper.
Lives of the English Poets: Prior, Congreve, Blackmore, Pope Johnson, Samuel 1891
-
The tube is labeled Lash Stiletto, where the word lash is capitalized and Stiletto in cursive.
-
Republicans can say whatever the f**k they want and get a little back-lash from the media but ultimately no actual repercussions but Democrats have to watch their every word.
Think Progress » Steele on whether he’ll rein in his gaffes: ‘Oh, no. Accidents happen baby.’ 2010
vanishedone commented on the word lash
I see WordNet doesn't know about the boozing sense. A few years back 'stash =branded merchandise and lash' was a standard coupling around my university; I don't think I've seen it recently, but that may be a result of spending less time around undergrads.
June 5, 2009
yarb commented on the word lash
I'm familiar with on the lash, VO, but stash and lash? As in, dress up in designer gear and get pissed? Why bother with the first bit?
June 5, 2009
vanishedone commented on the word lash
Your local students' union may offer both university-branded merchandise for sale during the day and opportunities to get drunk at night. (In collegiate university towns it's not unusual to see people wearing college colours.)
June 5, 2009
yarb commented on the word lash
Right, I get it.
June 5, 2009
bilby commented on the word lash
British, then? Hasn't reached my ears over here. And can you say lashed for being drunk?
June 5, 2009
vanishedone commented on the word lash
I haven't heard it, but that doesn't mean much.
June 5, 2009
yarb commented on the word lash
I'm not sure I've heard it either, but it would almost certainly be understood. Some people might think you were on (alternative) drugs; it sounds a bit like mashed.
June 5, 2009
jaunmakus commented on the word lash
i guess man! Stick to the plan. Get supercalfragilisticespeaodocious carried away in a lash. In the same day Hallucinate during lashing hours at work. Damn sure don't hurt. Built up testosterone make me want to merk. instead of lash out.
April 2, 2023