mash

Mash is a polysemous term in English with several related meanings. It can refer to a food preparation method, a brewing process, a general verb meaning to crush into a soft mass, or an acronym in certain contexts.

In cooking, mash most commonly denotes mashed potatoes, a dish made by boiling potatoes and then mashing them with butter, milk, or cream until smooth or chunky. The word can also describe any prepared food that has been mashed into a paste or puree, such as mashed fruit or root vegetables.

In brewing and distilling, mash refers to the stage in which milled grains are mixed with hot water to extract starches and convert them into fermentable sugars. The resulting mash is held at controlled temperatures to activate enzymes, after which the liquid is separated from the spent grains in a process called lautering to produce wort.

In animal feed, mash is a moist, ground-grain mixture used to feed livestock or poultry. It often includes cereals, by-products, and added liquids such as water or molasses to achieve a workable consistency.

As a verb, mash means to crush or pound something into a soft pulp. This usage appears in cooking, horticulture, and various figurative expressions.

See also: MASH, the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and the television series M*A*S*H.