splash
B1Informal to neutral. Also used in formal contexts in journalism ('splash headline') and some technical fields (physics, computing).
Definition
Meaning
The sound or movement of a liquid hitting or being hit, often creating small particles of liquid that scatter.
To prominently feature or display something (e.g., news, a picture); to spend money conspicuously; a small, irregular patch of colour or light.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a verb or noun of action/event. Can metaphorically denote impact, publicity, or careless expenditure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The compound noun 'splashback' (panel behind a sink) is more common in UK English; US English may use 'backsplash'.
Connotations
Identical. Both use 'splash' for front-page headlines, spending lavishly, and liquid sounds.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[splash + OBJ] + [PREP + surface]: She splashed water on her face.[splash + PREP + liquid]: The kids splashed in the puddle.[splash + ADV]: The news was splashed across the front page.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Make a splash (to attract attention)”
- “Splash out (to spend money freely)”
- “A splash in the pan (something briefly successful)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informal: 'The company splashed out on a new HQ.' Marketing: 'The product launch made a big splash.'
Academic
Physics/Engineering: 'Studying the fluid dynamics of a water splash.'
Everyday
Common: 'Don't splash me!' 'There's a splash of paint on the floor.'
Technical
Computing: 'The splash screen loads before the main application.' Space: 'The capsule will splash down in the ocean.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- With a loud splash, the dog jumped into the river.
- She added a splash of milk to her tea.
- The news was the front-page splash.
American English
- He heard a splash and turned to see what fell in the lake.
- The room needed a splash of colour to liven it up.
verb
British English
- The lorry splashed through a huge puddle, soaking the pedestrians.
- They decided to splash out on a posh meal for their anniversary.
American English
- The kids splashed each other in the pool for hours.
- The tabloid splashed the scandal across its front page.
adverb
British English
- He ran splash into the shallow end of the pool.
American English
- The spacecraft landed splash in the Pacific.
adjective
British English
- The magazine ran a splash headline about the election.
- We need to install a new splashback in the kitchen.
American English
- The website's splash page was very eye-catching.
- The backsplash in the kitchen is made of subway tile.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The baby loves to splash in the bath.
- I heard a splash. Did something fall in the water?
- Be careful not to splash paint on the carpet.
- The newspaper splashed the photo on page one.
- The new artist made a real splash with her controversial exhibition.
- He splashed cold water on his face to wake up.
- The politician's careless remarks were splashed across every major news outlet.
- Investors are prepared to splash out millions on the nascent technology.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the sound SPLASH – it sounds like the action itself. The 'spl' start mimics the spreading, scattered action of liquid.
Conceptual Metaphor
PUBLICITY/IMPACT IS A SPLASH (e.g., 'The story splashed across the news').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid overusing the verb 'брызгать' for all contexts; 'splash' often implies a heavier, noisier action. For 'splash of colour', use 'пятно цвета' or 'всплеск цвета', not a direct translation of 'брызг'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect prepositions: 'splash water to the floor' (use 'on'/'over'). Using 'splash' for a gentle trickle (too strong).
Practice
Quiz
In journalism, what does it mean if a story is 'the splash'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be used for any liquid (paint, mud, coffee) and metaphorically for colour, light, or publicity.
'Splash' implies a heavier, more impactful, often noisier contact with a surface, causing liquid to scatter. 'Spray' implies finer droplets, often directed or dispersed through the air (like from a spray bottle).
Yes, it is very commonly used as both (e.g., 'to make a splash' [noun], 'to splash water' [verb]).
It is informal, meaning to spend money freely or extravagantly on something.