v.
- reduce (a food or other substance) to a pulpy mass by crushing it.
▸US & W. Indian informal press forcefully on.
- (in brewing) mix (powdered malt) with hot water to form wort.
- N. English (with reference to tea) brew or infuse.
n.
- a soft mass made by crushing a substance into a pulp.
▸Brit. informal boiled and mashed potatoes.
- bran mixed with hot water, given as a warm food to horses.
- (in brewing) a mixture of powdered malt and hot water, which is left standing until the sugars dissolve to form the wort.
Etymology
OE māsc (used as a brewing term), of W. Gmc origin.