bash

Etymology 1

From Middle English *basshen, *basken, likely from Old Norse *baska (“to strike”), akin to Swedish basa (“to baste, whip, lash, flog”), Danish baske (“to beat, strike, cudgel”), German patschen (“to slap”)

verb

1. (informal) To strike heavily.
   The thugs kept bashing the cowering victim.
   If the engine won't start, bash it with this hammer.
   It isn't the creature's fault that it bashed its head against a tree outside our hole. 1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
2. (informal) To collide; used with into or together.
   Don't bash into me with that shopping trolley.
   The bulls backed apart and ran together, tusks clashing — Ed held his trunk down while Conrad curled his high over his head, out of the way of Ed's tusks as the faces bashed together. 1998, Katharine Payne, Silent Thunder, page 74
3. (transitive, informal) To criticize harshly.
   He bashed my ideas.
   The entertainment industry, the artistic community, and much of the educational establishment, which so profoundly influence American culture, relentlessly assault religion, promote promiscuity, encourage illegitimacy, and bash America. 1994, Richard Nixon, “America Beyond Peace”, in Beyond Peace, New York: Random House, page 236
   This is consistent with new research about to be published by Tax Justice UK that found that, when making the case for a more progressive tax system, bashing the wealthy resonated far less well with voters than specific arguments about closing loopholes and increasing particular taxes. 2020-02-16, Sonia Sodha, “Politicians should stop bashing the rich… most of us just don’t agree”, in The Observer

noun

1. (informal) A forceful blow or impact.
   He got a bash on the head.
2. (informal) A large party; a gala event.
   They had a big bash to celebrate their tenth anniversary.
   The party level ramps up at Thornaby, where a gaggle of women on a 50th birthday bash join us. November 30 2022, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 74
3. (UK, informal) An attempt at doing something.
   give something a bash
   I'm not sure I'll be any good at this, but let me have a bash.
   This was my first bash at macramé, so I'm quite pleased with how it's turned out.

Etymology 2

From Middle English baschen, baissen. See abash.

verb

1. (obsolete, transitive) To abash (make ashamed)