The word hash has several meanings:

1. A dish made by chopping up meat, potatoes, and other ingredients and frying them together. Corned beef hash is a classic breakfast dish where yesterday's leftovers get a delicious second life.
2. To discuss something thoroughly, often to work through a problem or disagreement. When your family needs to hash out vacation plans, everyone talks through the options until you reach an agreement. Teachers might hash over the details of a field trip, examining every aspect to make sure it works. The idea is similar to chopping up ingredients: you break the problem into pieces and work through each part.
3. In computing, a hash is a code generated from data, like a digital fingerprint. When you download a file, you might check its hash to verify it hasn't been corrupted or tampered with. Computer scientists use hashes to store passwords securely and organize information efficiently.
4. The # symbol on your keyboard or phone, sometimes called a hash, and called a hashtag when used on social media to label topics.