# dash down

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dash-down
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to write something very quickly because you are in a hurry.

For teachers: to record information in writing with great haste and often without concern for neatness or detail.

## Examples

- I need to dash down her phone number before I forget it.
- He managed to dash down a few notes during the meeting before the speaker moved to the next slide.
- The poet was known to dash down verses on napkins whenever inspiration struck him in the middle of a meal.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He dashed down it." but "He dashed it down." — when using a pronoun like 'it', it must come between the verb and the particle in this separable phrasal verb.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a noun like 'notes', 'a message', or 'a few words' as its object.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'jot down' (which implies brevity) and 'scribble' (which implies messiness); 'dash down' emphasizes the speed and urgency of the action.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.