gash
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a long, deep cut in the skin or in the surface of something.
n.a long, deep wound or incision, typically one with ragged edges.
Simple“He had a nasty gash on his leg after falling on the sharp rocks.”
In context“The collision left a jagged gash in the hull of the ship, allowing water to pour into the lower compartments.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
n.waste material or rubbish, especially on a ship or in the military.
n.refuse, waste, or rubbish; specifically used in nautical or military contexts to refer to discarded material.
Simple“The sailors were told to clear all the gash from the deck before inspection.”
In context“In naval terminology, any domestic waste produced on board that is destined for disposal is referred to as gash.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
adj.something that is very bad, useless, or of low quality.
adj.describing something of inferior quality, useless, or poorly constructed.
Simple“Don't buy that cheap tool; it's absolutely gash and will break immediately.”
In context“The soldiers complained that the temporary shelters provided were gash and offered no protection from the rain.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a very rude and offensive word for a woman or a woman's body.
n.a highly derogatory and vulgar slang term for the vulva, or by extension, an offensive objectifying term for a woman.
Simple“He was kicked out of the club for using gash to describe the female staff.”
In context“The use of the term gash in this context is considered extremely misogynistic and is likely to cause significant offense in any social setting.”
Alteration of older garsh, from Middle English garsen, from Old French garser, jarsier (Modern French gercer), from Vulgar Latin *charaxāre, from Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “engraver”).
From French gâcher (“to waste, to mess up”) or gâchis (“waste, a mess”), likely borrowed into English by ships' crews in the 19th century. Became increasingly vulgar by association with Etymology 1.
From ghastful, by association with gash.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.