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rash

US/ɹæʃ/ fairly common
noun (2) adjective (2)

noun

1.
2.

a series of unexpected and unpleasant occurrences

  • “a rash of bank robberies”
  • “a blizzard of lawsuits”
Synonyms

adjective

1.

imprudently incurring risk

  • “do something rash that he will forever repent” George Meredith
Similar
2.

marked by unthinking boldness; with defiant disregard for danger or consequences

  • “foolhardy enough to try to seize the gun from the hijacker”
  • “became the fiercest and most reckless of partisans” Macaulay
  • “a reckless driver”
Synonyms
Similar

Origin

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, vigor...

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.