Nash

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. A surname of English origin commonly used as a family name; a type of mathematical equilibrium named after the mathematician John Forbes, where no participant benefits from changing strategies unilaterally; a colloquial term sometimes used to describe a sharp or precise action or remark
2. A last name found predominantly in English-speaking countries; a game theory concept describing a stable state in strategic interactions; an informal expression referring to a pointed or effective maneuver or comment
3. An English-derived familial designation; an equilibrium concept in economics and strategic decision theory indicating no incentive for players to deviate alone; a slang term occasionally employed to signify something done decisively or sharply

Etymology: "Nash" survives mainly as a dialectal variant of "gnash," the verb for grinding the teeth together in anger or pain. The two forms are the same word, one preserved in regional speech and the other in the standard language. The other senses have separate histories. The surname is a family name of English origin, and the game-theory term is named after a mathematician, so it is a later borrowing of a name rather than a development from the verb. The colloquial sense of a sharp or precise action or remark is a separate usage.

Synonyms: strike, hit, smash, bash, clash

Antonyms: miss, avoid, dodge, evade, skip