Mashing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of forcibly compressing or blending items to achieve a smooth or homogeneous mix A culinary technique for transforming solid foods into a creamy or soft texture The act of exerting pressure to combine ingredients into a unified consistency
2. Applying force to crush or squash something into a soft lump
3. The action of breaking down solid substances by pressure to create a consistent texture

Etymology: Mashing has two quite different ancestries that happen to look identical. The older one comes from a Germanic word for a mixture, the same family that gave English "mash" in its sense of crushed grain or softened food. Old English had a verb meaning to mix, and "mash" in its kitchen sense has long meant reducing something soft by crushing and stirring. The participle "mashing" simply carries that sense forward, from potatoes and malt alike. The second strand is a stage slang word. In the 1870s, Americans began using "mash" for flirting or infatuation, and a "masher" was a showy admirer who tried to win attention with flashy dress and bold advances. Its source is probably the Romani word "masha", meaning to fascinate or entice, brought into English through a theatrical family of Romani-speaking actors. The linguist Leland, writing on the word, insisted on this origin, though the resemblance to the English word surely helped it spread.

Synonyms: crushing, squashing