v. & n.
v. 1 intr. rush hastily or forcefully (dashed up the stairs). 2 tr. strike or fling with great force, esp. so as to shatter (dashed it to the ground; the cup was dashed from my hand). 3 tr. frustrate, daunt, dispirit (dashed their hopes). 4 tr. colloq. (esp. dash it or dash it all) = DAMN v. 1.
n. 1 a rush or onset; a sudden advance (made a dash for shelter). 2 a horizontal stroke in writing or printing to mark a pause or break in sense or to represent omitted letters or words. 3 impetuous vigour or the capacity for this. 4 showy appearance or behaviour. 5 US a sprinting-race. 6 the longer signal of the two used in Morse code (cf. DOT(1) n. 3). 7 a slight admixture, esp. of a liquid. 8 = DASHBOARD. cut a dash make a brilliant show. dash down (or off) write or finish hurriedly.
[ ME, prob. imit. ]