subs. (colloquial).—1. A mess; specifically in the phrase ‘to make a HASH of.’ For synonyms, see SIXES AND SEVENS.
1747. WALPOLE, Letter to Sir Horace Mann, 23 Feb. (1833), Vol. II., p. 274. About as like it, as my Lady Pomfret’s HASH of plural persons and singular verbs or infinitive moods was to Italian.
1836. M. SCOTT, The Cruise of the Midge, p. 115 [Ry. ed.]. Listado never could compass Spanish, because, as he said, he had previously learnt French, and thus spoke a HASH of both.
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends, ‘The Merchant of Venice.’
| Don’t suppose my affairs are at all in a HASH, | |
| But the fact is, at present I’m quite out of cash. |
1843. Punch’s Almanack, July (q.v.).
1845. Punch’s Guide to Servants, ‘The Cook,’ Vol. IX., p. 45. He who gives a receipt for making a stew, may himself make a sad HASH of it.
1886. R. L. STEVENSON, Kidnapped, p. 97. Ye’ve made a sore HASH of my brig.
1889. Sporting Life, 30 Jan. Successfully negotiated the tricky entrance to the stable-yard of the hotel, at which job I have been in a mortal funk many a time with poor old Jim beside me, for fear of making a HASH of it.
1890. GRANT ALLEN, The Tents of Shem, ch. xvi. She made a HASH of the proper names, to be sure.
2. (American cadets’).—Clandestine preparation for supper after hours.
3. (colloquial).—A sloven; a blockhead.
1785. BURNS, Epistle to J. Lapraik, A set o’ dull, conceited HASHES.
Verb (colloquial).—1. To spoil; to jumble; to cook up and serve again.
1891. Notes and Queries, 7 S. xii., 22 Aug., p. 144. I do not think that Earle, a scholar of a high order and a man of the most keen wit and judgment, would have spoken thus of a thing HASHED UP by a hard-headed pedant, however able, such as Gauden.
2. (American).—To vomit. Also to FLASH THE HASH (q.v.). For synonyms, see ACCOUNTS and CAT.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
3. (Cheltenham School).—To study hard; to SWAT (q.v.).
TO SETTLE ONE’S HASH, verb. phr. (common).—To defeat one’s object; to kill. For synonyms, see COOK ONE’S GOOSE.
1864. BROWNING, Dramatis Personæ. ‘Youth and Art.’ You’ve to settle yet Gibson’s HASH.
c. 1871. W. A. BUTLER, Nothing to Wear.
| To use an expression | |
| More striking than classic, it ‘SETTLED MY HASH.’ |
1883. Punch, Nov. 3, p. 208, c. 1. That one stab, with a clasp-knife, which SETTLED THE young Squire’s HASH in less than two seconds.
1892. HUME NISBET, The Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 123. We’ll keep the cops off till you SETTLE HIS HASH, the rest replied, getting round us.
TO GO BACK ON ONE’S HASH, verb. phr. (American).—To turn; to succumb; to WEAKEN (q.v.).
