verb
dash
DASH
verb
1
To run or move quickly, usually for a short distance.
"She dashed to the station to catch the last train."
"He dashed across the road without looking."
2
To destroy or ruin something, especially hopes or plans.
"The injury dashed his hopes of competing in the final."
noun
1
A short horizontal line used in punctuation, or a small added amount of something.
"Add a dash of lemon juice to the sauce."
"She used a dash instead of a comma in that sentence."
How to Use Dash
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo move very fast, to wreck something (like hopes), or a small quantity of an ingredient — or the punctuation mark "—".
Common pairings
dash for the door
dash someone's hopes
a dash of salt
Word Forms
dashed past tense, dashes singular
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She _____ to the station to catch the last train.
Etymology
From Middle English daschen, related to Scandinavian words for slapping or striking — the sense of "smashing" or "throwing violently" came first, with "running quickly" and the punctuation mark developing later.