# hash

/ˈhæʃ/ (US) · /hˈæʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hash
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. chopped food

noun · CEFR B1

a dish made of meat and potatoes chopped into small pieces and fried together.

For teachers: a culinary dish consisting of diced meat, potatoes, and spices, typically sautéed together.

- We had a simple breakfast of corned beef hash and eggs.
- The chef prepared a rustic hash using leftover roasted root vegetables and smoked brisket from the previous evening's service.

### 2. the # symbol

noun · CEFR B1 · British English

the symbol #, often used on social media or telephones.

For teachers: the character #, also known as an octothorpe or pound sign, frequently used in social media tagging and telecommunications.

- To join the conversation on Twitter, use the hash symbol before the keyword.
- In the United Kingdom, the symbol is commonly referred to as a hash, whereas American speakers typically identify it as a pound sign.

Usage: Commonly used in the context of 'hashtags' on digital platforms.

### 3. cannabis drug

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a strong drug made from the cannabis plant.

For teachers: a concentrated form of cannabis produced from the resin of the plant.

- The police seized a large quantity of hash during the raid.
- The legislation distinguishes between the possession of raw cannabis leaf and more concentrated derivatives like hash.

Teaching tip: This is a common informal shortening of 'hashish'; learners should be aware of its illegal status in many jurisdictions.

### 4. computing data

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a fixed string of numbers and letters created by a computer to represent data.

For teachers: the output generated by a hash function, used to verify data integrity or map data to a fixed size.

- The website stores a hash of your password rather than the password itself.
- Cryptographic hashes are essential for blockchain technology, as they ensure that the data within a block has not been tampered with.

### 5. to chop up

verb · CEFR B2

to chop something, like meat or vegetables, into very small pieces.

For teachers: to mince or chop food into small pieces for cooking.

- You need to hash the potatoes finely so they cook evenly in the pan.
- The recipe instructs the cook to hash the remaining turkey meat before folding it into the savory sauce.

### 6. to process data

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to use a computer program to turn data into a fixed string of characters.

For teachers: to convert an input of any length into a fixed-size string of text using a specific algorithm.

- The system will hash the file to check if it was downloaded correctly.
- By hashing the sensitive user identifiers, the researchers were able to analyze the dataset without compromising individual privacy.

## Examples

- The computer checks the file's hash to see if it changed.
- When you enter your password, the system compares its hash to the one stored in the database for security.
- By comparing the cryptographic hash of the downloaded file against the one provided by the developer, the user can ensure the software has not been tampered with by a third party.

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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.