noun energy in style or action; animation; spirit.
2. dash ·noun violent striking together of two bodies; collision; crash.
3. dash ·noun a sudden check; abashment; frustration; ruin; as, his hopes received a dash.
4. dash ·noun a vain show; a blustering parade; a flourish; as, to make or cut a great dash.
5. dash ·vt to erase by a stroke; to strike out; knock out;
with out; as, to dash out a word.
6. dash ·vi to rust with violence; to move impetuously; to strike violently; as, the waves dash upon rocks.
7. dash ·noun the line drawn through a figure in the thorough bass, as a direction to raise the interval a semitone.
8. dash ·vt to throw with violence or haste; to cause to strike violently or hastily;
often used with against.
9. dash ·noun a short, spirited effort or trial of speed upon a race course;
used in horse racing, when a single trial constitutes the race.
10. dash ·noun a slight admixture, infusion, or adulteration; a partial overspreading; as, wine with a dash of water; red with a dash of purple.
11. dash ·noun the sign of staccato, a small mark denoting that the note over which it is placed is to be performed in a short, distinct manner.
12. dash ·vt to form or sketch rapidly or carelessly; to execute rapidly, or with careless haste;
with off; as, to dash off a review or sermon.
13. dash ·noun a rapid movement, ·esp. one of short duration; a quick stroke or blow; a sudden onset or rush; as, a bold dash at the enemy; a dash of rain.
14. dash ·vt to put to shame; to confound; to confuse; to abash; to depress.
15. dash ·vt to break, as by throwing or by collision; to shatter; to crust; to frustrate; to ruin.
xvi. dash ·vt to throw in or on in a rapid, careless manner; to mix, reduce, or adulterate, by throwing in something of an inferior quality; to overspread partially; to bespatter; to touch here and there; as, to dash wine with water; to dash paint upon a picture.
xvii. dash ·noun a mark or line , in writing or printing, denoting a sudden break, stop, or transition in a sentence, or an abrupt change in its construction, a long or significant pause, or an unexpected or epigrammatic turn of sentiment. dashes are also sometimes used instead of marks or parenthesis.