rash
/ɹæʃ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.67 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Acting too quickly without considering the consequences and risks; not careful; hasty.
noun
An area of inflamed and irritated skin characterized by reddened spots that may be filled with fluid or pus. Also, preceded by a descriptive word (rare or obsolete), an illness characterized by a type of rash.
noun
An irregular distribution or sprinkling of objects resembling a rash (sense 1).
Example Sentences
- "rash words spoken in the heat of debate"
- "[…] Eusebius doth report that Ireneus dyd reprooue Victor byshop of Rome for his rash sentēce in excōmunicating the Churches of Grece, concerning the obseruation of the feast of Easter."
- "For ſitting in his [Marcus Junius Brutus's] tent, penſive and troubled vvith the horrour of his raſh act, it vvas not hard for him, ſlumbering in the cold, to dream of that vvhich moſt affrighted him; […]"
- "[T]hrough the raſh adventure and fool-hardineſs of ſome fevv, an overture only made, and ſome advantage got of performing a great piece of ſervice and vvorthy exploit."
- "I vvas a fool, too raſh, and quite miſtaken / In vvhat I thought vvould have ſucceeded beſt."
- "He will tell you in how few moments ſhe repented of the raſh meſſage ſhe had ſent you— […]"
Etymology
The adjective is derived from Middle English rash, rasch (“hasty, headstrong, rash”) [and other forms], probably from Old English *ræsċ (“rash”) (found in derivatives such as ræsċan (“to move rapidly; to flicker; to flash; to glitter; to quiver”), ræsċettan (“to crackle, sparkle”), etc.), from Proto-West Germanic *rask, *raskī, *rasku, from Proto-Germanic *raskaz, *raskuz, *raþskaz, *raþskuz (“rash; rapid”), from Proto-Indo-European *Hreth₂- (“to run, roll”). The Middle English word was probably influenced by the cognates listed below. The adverb is derived from Middle English rashe (“quickly, rapidly”), from rash, rasch (adjective) (see above). Cognates * Dutch ras, rasch (“rash”) * Middle Low German rasch (“rash”) * Old Danish rask (“agile, nimble; fast; healthy, vigorous”) (modern Danish rask (“agile, nimble; fast; healthy, vigorous; hasty, rash”)) * Old High German reski (“impetuous, rash”) (Middle High German rasch, resch (“agile, nimble; fast; lively; healthy, vigorous”), modern German rasch, räsch, resch (“agile, nimble; fast; hasty, rash; healthy, vigorous; of food: crisp, crusty”)) * Old Norse rǫskr (“brave; healthy, vigorous”) (Icelandic röskur (“strong; healthy, vigorous”)) * Old Swedish rasker (“agile, nimble; brave; fast; vigorous”) (modern Swedish rask (“agile, nimble; fast; healthy, vigorous”))
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *Hreth₂-, rash, *ræsċ, *rask, *raskaz, rashe
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɹæʃ/
- British English: /ɹæʃ/
Usage
Inflected Forms
rasher (comparative)
rashest (superlative)
more rash (comparative)
most rash (superlative)
rashes (plural)
rashes (present, singular)
rashing (participle, present)
rashed (participle, past)
rashed (past)