v. & n.
--v.
1. intr. & tr. spatter or cause (liquid) to spatter in small drops.
2 tr. cause (a person) to be spattered with liquid etc. (splashed them with mud).
3 intr. a (of a person) cause liquid to spatter (was splashing about in the bath). b (usu. foll. by across, along, etc.) move while spattering liquid etc. (splashed across the carpet in his boots). c step, fall, or plunge etc. into a liquid etc. so as to cause a splash (splashed into the sea).
4 tr. display (news) prominently.
5 tr. decorate with scattered colour.
6 tr. spend (money) ostentatiously.
--n.
1. the act or an instance of splashing.
2 a a quantity of liquid splashed. b the resulting noise (heard a splash).
3 a spot of dirt etc. splashed on to a thing.
4 a prominent news feature etc.
5 a daub or patch of colour, esp. on an animal's coat.
6 Brit. colloq. a small quantity of liquid, esp. of soda water etc. to dilute spirits.
Phrases and idioms:
make a splash attract much attention, esp. by extravagance. splash out colloq. spend money freely.
Derivatives:
splashy adj. (splashier, splashiest).
Etymology: alt. of PLASH(1)