clash

English

Etymology

Of onomatopoeic origen. Compare Saterland Frisian klatskje (“to smack, slap”), West Frisian kletse, kletskje, Dutch kletsen (“to smack, slap, clash”), German Low German klattsen, klatsken (“to smack, splash”), German klatschen (“to clap, smack, slap”) and Klatsch (“a clapping sound; the din resulting from two or more things colliding”), Danish klaske (“to clash, splatter”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /klaʃ/, /klæʃ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /klæʃ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æʃ

Noun

clash (countable and uncountable, plural clashes)

1. (onomatopoeia) A loud sound, like the crashing together of metal objects.

   I heard a clash from the kitchen, and rushed in to find the cat had knocked over some pots and pans.

2. A skirmish, a hostile encounter.
   • 2018, Pál Fodor, The Business of State. Ottoman Finance Administration and Ruling Elites in Transition (1580s–1615) (Studien zur Sprache, Geschichte und Kultur der Turkvölker; 28), Berlin: Klaus Schwarz Verlag × De Gruyter, published 2020, →DOI, →ISBN, page 50:

     In Anatolia tensions between state officials (ehl-i örf) and the peasants were strained to breaking point.
     At several places—particularly in the frontier provinces—there were fierce clashes between the janissaries stationed there and the governors. In Aleppo and Damascus incidents were common after 1589: the kuls threw rocks at the beylerbeyi’s house, killed people, broke into the divan several times and took the money prepared by the council for remittance to the centre.

3. (sports) match; a game between two sides.
   • 2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France‎^[1]:

     But they ran out of time and inspiration as Les Bleus set up a deserved semi-final clash with Wales.

4. An angry argument
5. Opposition; contradiction; such as between differing or contending interests, views, purposes etc.

   clash of beliefs

   culture clash

6. A combination of garments that do not look good together, especially because of conflicting colours.

   She was wearing a horrible clash of red and orange.

7. (hurling) An instance of restarting the game after a "dead ball", where it is dropped between two opposing players, who can fight for possession.
8. (Scotland) Chatter; gossip; idle talk.

Derived terms

• card clash
• clash cymbal
• clash gear
• clash of the ash
• clash of titans
• clashscore
• interclash
• personality clash

 

Translations

loud sound

• Bulgarian: трясък (bg) m (trjasǎk)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 錚錚 / 铮铮 (zh) (zhēngzhēng)

• Finnish: kalske, kalskahdus
• French: fracas (fr), cliquetis (fr)
• Georgian: გუგუნი (guguni), გრიალი (griali), ჩხარუნი (čxaruni)
• German: Scheppern n, Geschepper n
• Greek: κλαγγή (el) f (klangí)

  Ancient: κτύπος m (ktúpos)

• Hungarian: csattanás (hu)
• Macedonian: тре́сок m (trésok)
• Portuguese: estrondo (pt) m
• Russian: лязг (ru) m (ljazg), громыха́ние (ru) n (gromyxánije), гул (ru) m (gul), гро́хот (ru) m (gróxot)
• Scottish Gaelic: gliong m
• Spanish: estruendo (es) m
• Swedish: skräll (sv), smäll (sv)
• Ukrainian: дзе́нькіт m (dzénʹkit), дзе́нькання n (dzénʹkannja)

skirmish

• Arabic: تَصَادُم m (taṣādum)
• Belarusian: сутыкне́нне n (sutyknjénnje), суты́чка f (sutýčka)
• Bulgarian: стълкнове́ние (bg) n (stǎlknovénie)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 衝突 / 冲突 (zh) (chōngtū, chōngtú)

• Czech: střet (cs) m
• Finnish: yhteenotto (fi)
• French: échauffourée (fr) f, escarmouche (fr) f
• Georgian: შეტაკება (šeṭaḳeba), შეჯახება (šeǯaxeba)
• German: Zusammenstoß (de) m, Auseinandersetzung (de) f
• Hindi: टकराव (hi) m (ṭakrāv)
• Italian: scontro (it) m, schermaglia (it) f, baruffa (it) f, zuffa (it) f
• Macedonian: су́дир m (súdir), пре́сметка f (présmetka)
• Portuguese: conflito (pt) m
• Russian: столкнове́ние (ru) n (stolknovénije), сты́чка (ru) f (stýčka), разбо́рка (ru) f (razbórka) (slang)
• Spanish: escaramuza (es) f, (Latin America) enfrentamiento (es)
• Ukrainian: зі́ткнення n (zítknennja), су́тичка f (sútyčka)

angry argument

• Bulgarian: конфли́кт (bg) m (konflíkt)
• German: Krach (de) m (coll.), Zank (de) m, Zoff (de) m (coll.)
• Macedonian: су́дир m (súdir)
• Maori: ngangau, whakanehenehe, wheinga
• Ukrainian: су́тичка f (sútyčka), зі́ткнення n (zítknennja)

opposition; contradiction

• Bulgarian: несъгла́сие (bg) n (nesǎglásie)
• Georgian: განხეთქილება (ganxetkileba), კონფლიქტი (ka) (ḳonplikṭi)
• German: Clash (de) m, Zusammenprall (de) m, Aufeinandertreffen (de) n
• Macedonian: несогласу́вање n (nesoglasúvanje), несогла́сие n (nesoglásie), разногла́сие n (raznoglásie)
• Spanish: choque (es) m, enfrentamiento (es)
• Ukrainian: опози́ція (uk) f (opozýcija), незго́да f (nezhóda), розбі́жність f (rozbížnistʹ)

Verb

clash (third-person singular simple present clashes, present participle clashing, simple past and past participle clashed)

1. (intransitive) To make a clashing sound.

   The cymbals clashed.

2. (transitive) To cause to make a clashing sound.
   • 2012, Robert Lyndon, Hawk Quest:

     Thorfinn clashed his shield against Vallon's and swung his axe to hook Vallon's ankle.

3. (intransitive) To come into violent conflict.

   Fans from opposing teams clashed on the streets after the game.

4. (intransitive) To argue angrily.

   My parents often clashed about minor things, such as the cleaning or shopping rota.

5. (intransitive, in games or sports) To face each other in an important game.
   • 2008 June 27, “Jones confirms Calzaghe showdown”, in BBC Sport‎^[2]:

     The veteran American legend claims he and Welsh two-weight world champion Calzaghe will clash on 20 September, probably at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

6. (intransitive, of clothes, decor, colours) To fail to look good together; to contrast unattractively; to fail to harmonize.

   You can't wear that shirt! It clashes with your trousers.

   The hotel room was ugly, and the wallpaper clashed with the carpet.

7. (intransitive, of events) To coincide, to happen at the same time, thereby rendering it impossible to attend all.

   I can't come to your wedding because it clashes with a friend's funeral.

   I wanted to take German, but it clashed with art on the timetable.

8. (intransitive, Scotland) To chatter or gossip.

Related terms

• clashy
• electroclash
• soundclash

 

Translations

to make a clashing sound

• Bulgarian: тряскам (bg) (trjaskam)
• Finnish: kalskahtaa
• German: scheppern (de)
• Greek: κλαγγάζω (klangázo), βροντώ (el) (vrontó)
• Macedonian: тре́ска (tréska)
• Persian: برخورد (fa)
• Russian: греме́ть (ru) (gremétʹ), грохота́ть (ru) (groxotátʹ)
• Spanish: sonar (es)
• Ukrainian: дзенькоті́ти impf (dzenʹkotíty), дзе́нькати impf (dzénʹkaty)

to conflict

• Arabic: يتصادم
• Azerbaijani: toqquşmaq (az)
• Bulgarian: сблъсквам се (sblǎskvam se)
• Finnish: ottaa yhteen (fi)
• French: s’affronter (fr)
• German: zusammenstoßen (de), aufeinanderprallen (de)
• Greek: συγκρούομαι (el) (sygkroúomai)
• Italian: cozzare (it), scontrarsi (it)
• Latin: confligo
• Macedonian: се су́дри (se súdri)
• Maori: papatu, kakari, taupapatu
• Russian: ста́лкиваться (ru) impf (stálkivatʹsja), столкну́ться (ru) pf (stolknútʹsja), конфликтова́ть (ru) impf (konfliktovátʹ)
• Spanish: conflictuar, confligir (es)
• Ukrainian: стика́тися impf (stykátysja), зіткну́тися pf (zitknútysja), конфліктува́ти pf (konfliktuváty)

to argue angrily

• German: zanken (de), zoffen (de) (reflexive / coll.), einen Krach haben
• Maori: toheriri, whakanehenehe, kairiri
• Spanish: argüir (es)
• Ukrainian: вола́тися impf (volátysja)

(of events) to coincide

• German: überschneiden (de) (reflexive)
• Maori: orua
• Spanish: entrechocar (es), chocar (es), colisionar (es)
• Ukrainian: збіга́тися impf (zbihátysja), збі́гтися pf (zbíhtysja)

Anagrams

• chals

French

Noun

clash m (plural clashs)

1. clash

Derived terms

• clasher
• têtê à clashs