Phrase guide

dine and dash

noun · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • dīn′ ən(d)dăsh′
  • -ănd′-
  • /ˈdaɪ̯n ən(d)ˈ(ʔ)dæʃ/
  • /-ˌænd-/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The crime of eating a meal in a restaurant and leaving without paying.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, US, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To commit the crime of eating a meal in a restaurant and leaving without paying.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, US, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

(OED) First attested in 1979 (verb). First attested in 1981 (noun).

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 霸王餐 (baa3 wong4 caan1) — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Chinese Mandarin: 霸王餐 (bàwángcān) — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Dutch: eetpiraterij — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • French: grivèlerie — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • French: resto-basket — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • French: filouterie — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • German: Zechprellerei — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Hungarian: (étteremből) fizetés nélküli távozás — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Italian: mangia e scappa — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Japanese: 無銭飲食 (musen inshoku) — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Korean: 무전취식 (mujeonchwisik) — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Korean: 먹튀 (meoktwi) — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Spanish: simpa — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Spanish: perro muerto — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Spanish: sinpa — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Spanish: pagadiós — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Swedish: springnota — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Thai: กินแล้วชิ่ง — leaving a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Chinese Cantonese: 食霸王餐 — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Chinese Mandarin: 吃霸王餐 — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Chinese Mandarin: 白吃白喝 (báichībáihē) — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • German: die Zeche prellen — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Hungarian: (étteremből) fizetés nélkül távozik/meglép/meglóg — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Japanese: 無銭飲食する (musen inshoku suru) — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Korean: 무전취식(無錢取食)하다 (mujeonchwisikhada) — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Korean: 먹튀하다 (meoktwihada) — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Spanish: hacer perro muerto — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Spanish: hacer un simpa — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Spanish: hacer un sinpa — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating
  • Spanish: hacer un pagadiós — to leave a restaurant without paying after eating