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clash of the ash

clash of the ash

9.5
A hurling match between teams, named for wooden sticks called hurleys striking together
  • noun
  • Jargon
translation icon : choque del ash
  • The annual final is always a much-anticipated clash of the ash in the county.

Examples

  • Growing up in Ireland, he dreamed of playing in a clash of the ash at Croke Park.

  • Fans gathered in the stadium for an exciting clash of the ash between fierce rivals.

  • The clash of the ash echoed across the field.

  • Did you hear the clash of the ash during the match?

  • Fans gathered in the stadium for an exciting clash of the ash between fierce rivals.

  • Growing up in Ireland, he dreamed of playing in a clash of the ash at Croke Park.

  • The annual final is always a much-anticipated clash of the ash in the county.

Synonyms

match
vsclash of the ash
517 1.4

A game in which two teams or players compete

refers to a single game of the Irish sport named for sticks striking together
hurling
vsclash of the ash
  • UK
1 8.4

A fast Irish team game like field hockey played with sticks and a small ball

refers to a single game named for sticks striking together

Surface Forms

Morphology

clash + of + the + ash

The constituents 'clash' (a loud striking noise) and 'ash' (a type of wood used for hurleys) transparently evoke the literal sound of wooden sticks hitting, so learners can infer a scene of striking or collision. However, identifying this specifically as 'a hurling match' requires cultural/lexical knowledge (that hurleys are made of ash and that the sound is used metonymically for the game), so the precise sense is not fully predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

The noun clash of the ash comes from the Irish sport of hurling, where players use wooden sticks called hurleys made from ash. When two hurleys hit they make a loud 'clash', so the phrase came to mean a hurling game or any fierce 'match' or contest.