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lash¹

(lăsh)

a. A stroke or blow with or as if with a whip.

b. A whip.

c. The flexible portion of a whip, such as a plait or thong.

2. Punishment administered with a whip.

a. A lacerating presence or power: the lash of conscience.

b. A caustic verbal attack.

4. An eyelash.

v. lashed, lash·ing, lash·es

v.tr.

1. To strike with or as if with a whip.

2. To strike against with force or violence: sleet lashing the roof.

3. To beat or swing rapidly: The alligator lashed its tail in the water.

4. To make a scathing oral or written attack against.

5. To drive or goad; sting: words that lashed them into action.

v.intr.

1. To move swiftly or violently; thrash: heard the snake lashing about in the leaves.

a. To aim a sudden blow; strike: The mule lashed out with its hind legs.

b. To beat; flail: waves lashing at the shore.

3. To make a scathing verbal or written attack. Often used with out: lashed out at her critics during the interview.

[Middle English, probably from lashen, to deal a blow, perhaps of imitative origin.]

lasher n.

lash²

(lăsh)

tr.v. lashed, lash·ing, lash·es

To secure or bind, as with a rope, cord, or chain.

[Middle English lashen, lasen, to lace, from Old French lachier, lacier, from Vulgar Latin *laceāre, from Latin laqueāre, to ensnare, from laqueus, snare; see LACE.]

lasher n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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