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to strike with a crushing or smashing blow.
Chiefly British, Canadian. to hurl harsh verbal abuse at.
a crushing blow.
Informal. a thoroughly enjoyable, lively party.
have a bash (at), British. to attempt; make an attempt.
on the bash, British. working as a prostitute.
Contemporary Examples

Matthew Schmitz bashes Mumford and Sons over at First Things.
Mumford and Sons: The Pinterest of Folk Music Justin Green September 30, 2012

Harry bashes into Camilla’s umbrella, trademark cheeky grin flashed.
Running Commentary from the Jubilee Pageant Tom Sykes June 2, 2012

Rubio bashes Crist at every opportunity while leaving Meek untouched.
Charlie Crist’s Race Card Jim DeFede September 26, 2010

Historical Examples

Now alone, Bathurst threw himself down among the bashes in an attitude of utter depression.
Rujub, the Juggler G. A. Henty

verb
(transitive) to strike violently or crushingly
(transitive; often foll by in, down, etc) to smash, break, etc, with a crashing blow: to bash a door down
(intransitive) foll by into. to crash (into); collide (with): to bash into a lamppost
to dent or be dented: this tin is bashed, this cover won’t bash easily
noun
a heavy blow, as from a fist
a dent; indentation
a party
(informal) have a bash, to make an attempt
v.

“to strike violently,” 1640s, perhaps of Scandinavian origin, from Old Norse *basca “to strike” (cf. Swedish basa “to baste, whip, flog, lash,” Danish baske “to beat, strike, cudgel”); or the whole group might be independently derived and echoic. Figurative sense of “abuse verbally or in writing” is from 1948. Related: Bashed; bashing.
n.

“a heavy blow,” 1805, from bash (v.). Meaning “an attempt” is attested by 1948. On a bash “on a drunken spree” is slang from 1901, which gave the word its sense of “party.”

noun

A party, esp a good, exciting one: Her little soiree turned into a real bash (1940s+)
An attempt; crack, whack: Let’s have a bash at moving this thing (1940s+ British)

verb

To hit; clobber, sock (1860s+)
To criticize, esp destructively: bashing Google more than Microsoft now