Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) to become infatuated, to fall in love.

1915		Honk! 30 Sept. 2/1: We have heard that Sapper Mallett of Signals has done is dash and is always dotty!
1918		C.J. Dennis ‘The Joy Ride’ in Backblock Ballads 103: Now, Lena was a dashin’ piece, / ’Igh-spirited an’ flash. / ’Twas plain enough to me that day / That ’Arry’d done ’is dash.
1919		Aussie (France) 11 Feb. 14/2: [cartoon caption] ‘He seems to have done his dash on that Belgian bint.’ / ‘Don’t know about doing his dash on her, but he’s certainly doing his cash.’.

1. to try, to make an attempt.

1821–6		‘Bill Truck’ Man o’ War’s Man (1843) 338: So you were wearying to see the lions again [...] and to have a dash at the sprees and jollities of London.
1849		G.G. Foster N.Y. in Slices 54: Having made our will and got our life insured for a sum sufficient to keep our wife and family in comfortable circumstances after our departure, we are determined to have a dash at the Press.
1895		W. Pett Ridge Minor Dialogues 184: Not but what if a certain young party wasn’t quite so uppish in her manner, I might have a dash at it.
1901		Bulletin (Sydney) 20 July 13/1: Q. Senator ‘Bill’ Higgs was editor of Brisbane Worker ere he got into the State Parliament, and thence to the Senate. His successor, dapper Francis Kenna [...], now edits the Q. Labor journal, and will also probably ‘have a dash’ shortly [...].
1915		Bulletin (Sydney) 5 Aug. 22/3: ‘They wouldn’t have me. Look at me boots.’ [...] ‘Don’t be a fool,’ I said – ‘have a dash at it.’.
1923		Wodehouse Inimitable Jeeves 11: We can but have a dash at it.

2. to make a bet.

1894

J. Astley Fifty Years (2nd edn) II 95: I was determined to have a ‘dash’ on her.