rash Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any red eruption of the skin
    skin rash; roseola; efflorescence.
  2. noun a series of unexpected and unpleasant occurrences
    blizzard.
    • a rash of bank robberies
    • a blizzard of lawsuits
  3. adjective satellite imprudently incurring risk
    • do something rash that he will forever repent"- George Meredith
  4. adjective satellite marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
    foolhardy; heady; reckless.
    • foolhardy enough to try to seize the gun from the hijacker
    • became the fiercest and most reckless of partisans"-Macaulay
    • a reckless driver
    • a rash attempt to climb Mount Everest

WordNet

Rash transitive verb
Etymology
For arace
Definitions
  1. To pull off or pluck violently. Obs.
  2. To slash; to hack; to slice. Obs.
    Rushing of helms and riving plates asunder. Spenser.
Rash noun
Etymology
OF. rashe an eruption, scurf, F. rache; fr. (assumed) LL. rasicare to scratch, fr. L. radere, rasum, to scrape, scratch, shave. See Rase, and cf. Rascal.
Definitions
  1. (Med.) A fine eruption or efflorescence on the body, with little or no elevation.
Rash noun
Etymology
Cf. F. ras short-nap cloth, It. & Sp. raso satin (cf. Rase); or cf. It. rascia serge, G. rasch, probably fr. Arras in France (cf. Arras).
Definitions
  1. An inferior kind of silk, or mixture of silk and worsted. Obs. Donne.
Rash adjective
Etymology
Probably of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. & Sw. rask quick, brisk, rash, Icel. röskr vigorous, brave, akin to D. & G. rasch quick, of uncertain origin.
Wordforms
comparative Rasher ; superlative Rashest
Definitions
  1. Sudden in action; quick; hasty. Obs. "Strong as aconitum or rash gunpowder." Shak.
  2. Requiring sudden action; pressing; urgent. Obs.
    I scarce have leisure to salute you, My matter is so rash. Shak.
  3. Esp., overhasty in counsel or action; precipitate; resolving or entering on a project or measure without due deliberation and caution; opposed to prudent; said of persons; as, a rash statesman or commander.
  4. Uttered or undertaken with too much haste or too little reflection; as, rash words; rash measures.
  5. So dry as to fall out of the ear with handling, as corn. Prov. Eng. Syn. -- Precipitate; headlong; headstrong; foolhardy; hasty; indiscreet; heedless; thoughtless; incautious; careless; inconsiderate; unwary. -- Rash, Adventurous, Foolhardy. A man is adventurous who incurs risk or hazard from a love of the arduous and the bold. A man is rash who does it from the mere impulse of his feelings, without counting the cost. A man is foolhardy who throws himself into danger in disregard or defiance of the consequences.
    Was never known a more adventurous knight. Dryden.
    Her rush hand in evil hour Forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she eat. Milton.
    If any yet to be foolhardy To expose themselves to vain jeopardy; If they come wounded off, and lame, No honors got by such a maim. Hudibras.
Rash transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To prepare with haste. Obs. Foxe.

Webster 1913