noun
Uncommon
hash
HASH
Hash (noun) means a dish of chopped meat and vegetables (often potatoes) fried together. Example: “She made corned beef hash with the Sunday leftovers.”
noun
1
A dish of chopped meat and vegetables (often potatoes) fried together.
"She made corned beef hash with the Sunday leftovers."
"For breakfast he cooked a hash of diced potato, onion and ham."
"Dad's roast chicken hash is the best way to use up leftovers."
2
A confused, jumbled mess.
"He made a hash of the instructions and the shelf ended up crooked."
"The report was a complete hash, with pages in the wrong order and missing figures."
"I made a real hash of the speech and forgot half my notes."
3
The # symbol.
"Type the hash key followed by your extension number."
"On most keyboards the hash sign sits near the enter key."
"Put a hash in front of the word to turn it into a tag."
4
In computing, the fixed-length code produced by feeding data through a hash function.
"The website stores a hash of your password, not the password itself."
"Each file has a unique hash, so you can check it has not been changed."
"The program compares the hash of the download with the one on the website."
5
Informal short form of hashish.
"He was caught with a small block of hash at the airport."
"The border officers found hash hidden inside a hollowed-out book."
"In the film, the character is arrested for selling hash."
verb
1
To chop food into small pieces, or to make a mess of something.
"They hashed the potatoes with onions and peppers."
"The new intern hashed the whole filing system."
"He hashed the leftover beef and boiled potatoes into a quick supper."
How to use hash
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDepending on context: chopped fried food, a jumbled mess, the # symbol, a scrambled data code, or slang for hashish.
Common mistake
In computing, don't confuse a "hash" (the output code) with "hashtag" (the # symbol used to label social media posts) — related but different things.
Common pairings
make a hash of
hash browns
hash function
hash tag
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Word forms
- Plural
- hashes
- Third person singular
- hashes
- Past tense
- hashed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She made corned beef _____ with the Sunday leftovers.
Etymology
From French hacher, "to chop" — the same root gives English "hatchet."
Related words
Rhymes for hash
See all rhymes for hash →Frequently asked questions
What does “hash” mean?
The word “hash” means a dish of chopped meat and vegetables (often potatoes) fried together. In plain terms, depending on context: chopped fried food, a jumbled mess, the # symbol, a scrambled data code, or slang for hashish.
How do you pronounce “hash”?
“Hash” is pronounced HASH (/ˈhæʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “hash” in a sentence?
Here is “hash” used in a sentence: “She made corned beef hash with the Sunday leftovers.”
What part of speech is “hash”?
Depending on how it is used, “hash” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “hash” come from?
The word “hash” comes from French. From French hacher, "to chop" — the same root gives English "hatchet.".
Is “hash” a common word?
“Hash” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “hash” have?
“Hash” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a dish of chopped meat and vegetables (often potatoes) fried together.
What is the difference between a hash and a hash function output?
In computing, a hash refers to the fixed-length code produced by feeding data through a hash function, used to verify data integrity or index information quickly. This technical sense is distinct from the food dish or the confused-mess sense of the same word.
Is hash the same as the # symbol?
Yes, hash is one accepted name for the # symbol, also called a pound sign or number sign depending on region. The same word, hash, separately names a dish of chopped fried meat and vegetables and, informally, hashish.
What does it mean to make a hash of something?
To make a hash of something means to make a confused, jumbled mess of it, using the noun sense of hash meaning a muddle. This figurative use comes from the verb sense of hash, to chop food into small pieces, extended to mean botching a task.
Is hash a slang term for a drug?
Yes, hash is an informal short form of hashish, a drug derived from the cannabis plant. This is one of several distinct meanings the word carries alongside the food dish, the # symbol, and the computing sense.
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