clash
/ˈklæʃ/ noun, verb
Forms clashes clashing clashed
- noun (onomatopoeia) A loud sound, like the crashing together of metal objects; a crash. “I heard a clash from the kitchen, and rushed in to find the cat had knocked over some pots and pans.”
- noun A skirmish, a hostile encounter.
- noun (sports) match; a game between two sides.
- noun An angry argument.
- noun Opposition; contradiction; such as between differing or contending interests, views, purposes etc. “clash of beliefs”
- noun A combination of garments that do not look good together, especially because of conflicting colours. “She was wearing a horrible clash of red and orange.”
- noun (hurling) An instance of restarting the game after a "dead ball", where it is dropped between two opposing players, who can fight for possession.
- noun (Scotland) Chatter; gossip; idle talk.
- verb (intransitive) To make a clashing sound. “The cymbals clashed.”
- verb (transitive) To cause to make a clashing sound.
- verb (intransitive) To come into violent conflict. “Fans from opposing teams clashed on the streets after the game.”
- verb (intransitive) To argue angrily. “My parents often clashed about minor things, such as the cleaning or shopping rota.”
- verb (intransitive, in games or sports) To face each other in an important game.
- verb (intransitive, of clothes, decor, colours) To fail to look good together; to contrast unattractively; to fail to harmonize. “You can't wear that shirt! It clashes with your trousers.”
- verb (intransitive, of events) To coincide, to happen at the same time, thereby rendering it impossible to attend all. “I can't come to your wedding because it clashes with a friend's funeral.”
- verb (intransitive, Scotland) To chatter or gossip.
Synonyms
blash collide clang clangor clangour clangoring clank crash friction brush encounter skirmish jar
Etymology
Of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Saterland Frisian klatskje (“to smack, slap”), West Frisian kletse, kletskje, Dutch kletsen (“to smack, slap, clash”), German Low German klattsen, klatsken (“to smack, splash”), German klatschen (“to clap, smack, slap”) and Klatsch (“a clapping sound; the din resulting from two or more things colliding”), Danish klaske (“to clash, splatter”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To make a noise by striking against something; to dash noisily together.
- verb To meet in opposition; to act in a contrary direction; to come onto collision; to interfere.
- verb To strike noisily against or together.
- verb A loud noise resulting from collision; a noisy collision of bodies; a collision.
Etymology [Of imitative origin; cf. G. klatschen, Prov. G. kleschen, D. kletsen, Dan. klaske, E. clack.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “clash”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details