# mash

/ˈmæʃ/ (US) · /mˈæʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mash
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to crush into a soft mass

verb · CEFR A2

to crush food or other soft things until they become a smooth, thick liquid or paste.

For teachers: to reduce a substance to a soft, pulpy state through pressure or beating. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- You need to mash the boiled potatoes with some butter and milk.
- After boiling the root vegetables until tender, mash them thoroughly to ensure the puree has a consistent, velvety texture.

### 2. to press buttons repeatedly

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to press a button on a controller or keyboard very quickly and many times.

For teachers: to press a physical or virtual button rapidly and repeatedly, often without precision.

- I lost the game because I was just mashing the buttons instead of using a strategy.
- In high-intensity gaming scenarios, players often resort to mashing the action key rather than executing timed combos.

### 3. mashed potatoes

noun · CEFR B1 · British English

a dish made of potatoes that have been crushed until they are soft.

For teachers: a culinary preparation of potatoes that have been boiled and crushed. Often uncountable in British English.

- We had sausages and mash for dinner last night.
- The traditional pub menu featured locally sourced sausages served alongside a generous portion of creamy mustard mash.

## Examples

- Mash the potatoes until they are smooth.
- She used a fork to mash the boiled potatoes before adding butter and milk.
- The chef carefully mashed the ripe bananas to create a lump-free batter for the quick bread.

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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.