gash

UK: /ˈgæʃ/ US: /gæʃ/ ,(gash)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

gash¹ /gæʃ/   n. [countable]

1. Pathology a long, deep wound or cut.

v. [~ + object]

2. to make a gash in:
   The barbed wire gashed my leg.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

gash¹  (gash), n. 

1. Pathology a long, deep wound or cut;
   slash.
2. Sex and Gender [Slang] (vulgar).
   • the vagina.
   • Sex and Gender [Disparaging and Offensive,] a woman considered as a sex object.

v.t. 

3. to make a long, deep cut in;
   slash.

• Greek charássein to scratch, notch
• Vulgar Latin *charaxāre
• Old French garser, jarsier (French gercer) to scarify, wound
• alteration (with -sh perh. from slash¹) of Middle English garsen 1540–50

gash²  (gash), adj. [Chiefly Scot.]

1. wise, sagacious.
2. neat;
   well-dressed;
   well-groomed.

• origin, originally uncertain 1700–10

gash³  (gash), adj. [Scot. Archaic.]

1. Scottish Terms dreary or gloomy in appearance.

• origin, originally uncertain 1580–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gash / ɡæʃ/ verb

1. (transitive) to make a long deep cut or wound in; slash

noun

1. a long deep cut or wound

Etymology: 16th Century: from Old French garser to scratch, wound, from Vulgar Latin charissāre (unattested), from Greek kharassein to scratch