clash
/klæʃ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A minor short-term fight or conflict: A clash can refer to a brief, often violent, confrontation between people or groups.
- A state of conflict or disharmony: This can describe a serious disagreement between people or a jarring combination, especially of colors or ideas.
- A loud, resonant, repeating noise: A clash is a loud, metallic sound, like that of objects striking together.
Verb:
- To disagree violently or come into conflict: To clash means to have a serious argument or fight, or for events to occur at the same inconvenient time.
- To be incompatible or not match: Often used for colors or designs that do not look good together.
- To crash together with violent impact: To collide or strike against something with force, producing a loud noise.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- There was a brief clash between the protesters and the police. (A minor short-term fight)
- The room's decor was a terrible clash of patterns. (A state of conflict between designs)
- The clash of cymbals signaled the start of the show. (A loud resonant noise)
Verb:
- The two leaders clashed over foreign policy. (Disagreed violently)
- The red carpet and the purple curtains clash horribly. (Are incompatible colors)
- The swords clashed loudly during the duel. (Crashed together with violent impact)
Advanced Usage
"to clash with": To be in conflict or competition with something; to not be suitable with something else.
- His appointment clashes with my meeting, so I can't attend. (Occurs at the same inconvenient time)
- Her assertive personality sometimes clashes with the team's collaborative culture. (Is in conflict with)
"a clash of cultures/titans": A significant conflict between different ways of life or between very powerful people/entities.
- Moving to a new country often involves a clash of cultures. (Conflict between different social customs)
- The debate was a clash of titans between the two most famous scientists. (Conflict between extremely powerful figures)
Variants and Related Words
- Clashing (adj): Being in conflict or not matching.
- They have clashing opinions on the matter. (Conflicting opinions)
- Clanger (n, informal): A noticeable mistake, especially an embarrassing one. (Related through the concept of a loud, jarring error).
Synonyms
- Noun: Conflict, confrontation, fight, discord, cacophony (for sound).
- Verb: Conflict, collide, disagree, fight, jar.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Clash against/into: To collide with something forcefully.
- In the dark, he clashed into the furniture. (Collided with the furniture)
Related Idioms
- "A clash of wills": A situation where two equally determined people or groups are in opposition.
- The negotiation turned into a clash of wills, with neither side backing down. (A conflict of strong determination)
Noun
- a minor short-term fight
- a state of conflict between colors
- her dress was a disturbing clash of colors
- a state of conflict between persons
- a loud resonant repeating noise
- he could hear the clang of distant bells
Verb
- disagree violently
- We clashed over the new farm policies
- be incompatible; be or come into conflict
- These colors clash
- crash together with violent impact
- The cars collided
- Two meteors clashed