splash
/splaʃ
/noun
1A sound made by something striking or falling into liquid: we hit the water with a mighty splash...
- I went back to reading my book until I was interrupted about ten minutes later by the sound of some enormous splashes.
- He had not taken much notice until he heard a splash and the sound of panic-stricken voices.
- Valos slowly opened his eyes as he heard the sound of a splash.
Synonyms
splashing, swashing, dashing, beating, battering
literary plash, plashing
archaic swash
1.1A spell of moving about in water energetically: the girls joined them for a final splash in the pool...
- A few splashes of water, and I'm feeling a lot better.
- He leaned to listen to her splashes, but the water was still.
- The horses were cantering lightly, making small splashes of water around their hooves.
1.2A small quantity of liquid that has fallen or been dashed against a surface: a splash of gravy...
- As they walked down the street, they heard a yell, which was followed by a splash of some liquid.
- Add corn, reserved dill and a splash of reserved braising liquid and heat through.
- The dumplings wade in a thick peanut mixture with a splash of soy sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Synonyms
spot, blob, dab, daub, smudge, smear, speck, speckle, fleck, patch, pop;
mark, stain
informal splotch, splosh, splodge
1.3A small quantity of liquid added to a drink: a splash of lemonade...
- That's why we recommend using a consistent product like Rose's, and then use a splash of fresh juice to add some dimension to the drink.
- Another, The Jacuzzi, has more of a kick to it lent by the addition of Bombay Sapphire Gin and a splash of lemon to the traditional drink.
- Strain the ingredients into a ice filled highball glass and add a splash of soda water.
Synonyms
drop, dash, bit, spot, soupçon, dribble, driblet;
little, small amount
Scottish informal scoosh
1.4A bright patch of colour: add a red scarf to give a splash of colour...
- Darker colours tend to be more appropriate at work although there is no harm in adding a splash of brighter colour with accessories.
- Add to this a splash of bright colour and the result is nothing short of arresting.
- For a splash of bright colour it is hard to beat marigolds, Calendula officialis.
Synonyms
patch, burst, streak
2 informal A prominent or sensational news feature or story: a front-page splash...
- For nearly 15 years the media has contributed screaming headlines and front page splashes as well as serious studies.
- My front-page splash became a three-inch brief on the inside - albeit one that took hours to report.
- Of course, the hard but essential task now will be to maintain the sense of priority and importance about indigenous issues once the front page splashes die away again.
Synonyms
feature, story, article, piece;
display
North American informal screamer
verb
1 [with object and adverbial of direction] Cause (liquid) to strike or fall on something in irregular drops: she splashed cold water on to her face...
- Shakily I splashed some cold water onto my stricken face, wishing the cold liquid to act as a reality check, maybe even wake me up from this painfully real nightmare.
- The bathroom was cool when she flicked on the light, and as she splashed cold water onto her face the reflection of the mirror caught her eye.
- I had to push past a few kissing couples to reach the bathroom, and once inside I splashed some cold water onto my face.
Synonyms
spatter, bespatter, splatter, speck, speckle, blotch, smear, stain, mark
informal splotch, splodge
Scottish & Irish informal slabber
literary bedabble
1.1 [with object] Make wet by splashing: they splashed each other with water...
- Then they start to roll the log, spraying and splashing each other, performing all sorts of acrobatics while turning the piece of wood.
- I pass a besotted dad with his toddler splashing each other from opposites sides of the fountain.
- They dunked and splashed each other in an oversized birdbath.
Synonyms
sprinkle, spray, spritz, shower, splatter, slosh, slop, squirt;
daub;
wet
1.2 [no object, with adverbial of direction] (Of a liquid) fall or be scattered in irregular drops: a tear fell and splashed on to the pillow...
- The icicles began to melt, and a few drops of frigid water splashed onto her head.
- I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand gingerly and turned back to Trey, watching the rain droplets splash on his face.
- The object flew past his face and he thought there was some liquid splashing onto his neck, but he didn't understand what it was.
Synonyms
swash, wash, break, lap;
dash, beat, lash, batter, crash, buffet, surge
literary plash
1.3 [no object, with adverbial] Strike or move around in a body of water, causing it to fly about noisily: a stone splashed into the water she splashed up the path...
- Brice spun me around, holding my close to his body, for a few seconds before he tripped, sending our bodies flying and splashing into the water.
- He sliced the water without splashing around and moved through it athletically.
- They splashed noisily into the water and we clambered down the pier steps, watching the ghostly glows from their torches disappear into the inky blackness.
Synonyms
paddle, wade, slosh;
wallow
informal splosh
1.4 (be splashed with) Be decorated with scattered patches of: a field splashed with purple clover...
- Inside her one-bedroom apartment at Indiana University, however, the walls were splashed with vibrantly colored pictures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
- The river banks were splashed with the colour of wild flowers, and all was still and silent, barring the whisper of the wind and the occasional raucous call of a bird.
- The lush greenery of the marsh to one side and the swamp to the other was splashed with purple mallow and pink hibiscus flowers, and there were blue herons and white egrets flapping through the trees.
Synonyms
be flecked with, be dotted with, be stippled with, be studded with, be scattered with
2 [with object] Print (a story or photograph, especially a sensational one) in a prominent place in a newspaper or magazine: the story was splashed across the front pages...
- Four out of five of Canada's largest newspapers in the country splashed the story on the front page the day after the Monday night game.
- It's in the unapologetic headlines splashed across magazines and newspapers.
- Newspapers splashed graphic photos of the carnage across the front pages of yesterday's editions.
Synonyms
blazon, display, spread, plaster, trumpet, publicize, broadcast, headline
informal splatter
Phrases
make a splash
Phrasal verbs
splash down
splash out
Origin
Early 18th century (as a verb): alteration of plash1.
see flash, pop