Mash / Mashin’ - To Press or Push
In Appalachian and Southern English, mash (or mashin’) means "to press" or "to push." Folks say "mash the button" instead of "press the button" or "mash the gas" instead of "step on the accelerator." This usage comes from older Scots-Irish speech patterns and is still common across much of the South today.
Using 'mashin’ a doorbell' instead of pushin' is hit-and-miss. I'm pretty sure it's more regional. Pronunciation
Meaning & Usage
- To press or push something (verb, regional)
What’s he doin’?Just mashin’ the brakes too hard.- To squash or flatten (verb, figurative)
Careful with them biscuits.Quit mashin’ ’em down.Origin
From Old English *mæscan* ("to crush, bruise"). While "mash" became tied to moonshine grain mash in the mountains, it also developed as a dialect verb meaning "to press." In Southern/Appalachian speech, that usage stuck and spread.
Notes
Still very common in Southern/Appalachian households: "mashin’ buttons," "mashin’ the brakes," "mashin’ the remote." Outsiders often notice it as a regional marker. See also: mash (moonshine), mash your mouth.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "mash-in." The "g" is dropped: "mashin’."