# gnash

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈnæʃ/ · frequency rank #91,571

## Definitions
1. To grind (one's teeth) in pain or in anger.
2. To grind between the teeth.
3. To clash together violently.
4. To run away.

## Etymology
From Middle English gnasten. Origin unknown; the word is probably either Germanic or onomatopoeic. Compare Old Norse gnastan, Danish gnaske ("munch", "crunch"), German knirschen, German Low German gnirschen, gnörschen (“gnash”), Swedish gnissla (“squeak; gnash”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/gnash