Nashing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Grinding or crushing something with force; expressing intense anger or frustration through clenched teeth or biting actions; moving teeth together rapidly in irritation or pain
2. Wearing down by rubbing or friction; showing aggression or annoyance by biting or gnashing teeth; producing a harsh sound by rapidly moving teeth against each other
3. Breaking down or pulverizing material by applying pressure; manifesting rage or vexation with teeth clashing; creating a grating noise through swift tooth movement

Etymology: "Nashing" is the present participle and gerund of "nash," a dialectal variant of "gnash," meaning to grind the teeth together. The fuller form, "gnash," is the older and more widely used one, and the two words share the same meaning and origin. The "g" at the start of "gnash" was once pronounced, as in other English words such as "gnaw" and "gnome," and dropping it in "nash" reflects the same loss of initial "g" before "n" seen across those words.