A hectic, sometimes very violent, form of dancing usually done at concerts for punk, hardcore, metal or hard rock bands. Usually takes place at the front area of the floor, near the stage, in a crowd of people. When one moshes, a gap in the crowd emerges and somebody runs into the middle wildly flailing or swinging their arms and legs. In some cases people take turns moshing; one person enters the open area and moshes, then goes back to the edge, then another enters and moshes before leaving and making way for another person. However it is more common for many moshers to enter the space at the same time, creating a makeshift pit in the crowd filled with punching, kicking, and swinging of the limbs. Thus this crowd of moshers is called a mosh pit. Mosh pits can vary in size.
NOTE: Mosh pits can be extremely dangrous; countless cases of injuries have occurred in mosh pits. It is very common to be strongly punched or struck in the face when in a mosh pit. When a pit forms near an unwilling concertgoer, they and all others around the edge hold out their elbows and arms in defensive stances in order to create a buffer zone for the pit. And lastly, mosh pits can sometimes form unexpectedly, almost anywhere in a crowd. So fellow concertgoers should constantly take caution to look for them if they don't want to be caught in the middle of the mosh pit.
SEE ALSO: Circle Pit, Wall of Death
NOTE: Mosh pits can be extremely dangrous; countless cases of injuries have occurred in mosh pits. It is very common to be strongly punched or struck in the face when in a mosh pit. When a pit forms near an unwilling concertgoer, they and all others around the edge hold out their elbows and arms in defensive stances in order to create a buffer zone for the pit. And lastly, mosh pits can sometimes form unexpectedly, almost anywhere in a crowd. So fellow concertgoers should constantly take caution to look for them if they don't want to be caught in the middle of the mosh pit.
SEE ALSO: Circle Pit, Wall of Death
John: I was at the Bring Me The Horizon concert last night and sooooo many people were moshing! Eventually the lead singer called out to see a mosh pit and a huge one began to form right in the middle of the crowd.
Eric: Dude, that's insane. Did you get hit?
John: Yeah, at one point I got caught in the middle for a second and somebody punched me right in the face. The concert was still awesome though.
Eric: Dude, that's insane. Did you get hit?
John: Yeah, at one point I got caught in the middle for a second and somebody punched me right in the face. The concert was still awesome though.
by Exidor77 March 14, 2011
add to definition:
the word originated in New York in the early 80s. The previous word for the dance was "slam". The origin is probably Yiddish, as is "mish-mosh" - something all mixed up. It was a specific New York Hardcore variation on slamming which went in a circle (usually counter-clockwise with the stage as 12:00). There was a variation to slower, chuggy music called the creepy-crawly. It may have been Jimmy Gestapo (Murphy's Law) himself who coined the word
the word originated in New York in the early 80s. The previous word for the dance was "slam". The origin is probably Yiddish, as is "mish-mosh" - something all mixed up. It was a specific New York Hardcore variation on slamming which went in a circle (usually counter-clockwise with the stage as 12:00). There was a variation to slower, chuggy music called the creepy-crawly. It may have been Jimmy Gestapo (Murphy's Law) himself who coined the word
by Chief Hanson September 24, 2004
by frenchfuck May 6, 2004
There are many definitions for moshing on the urban dictionary, mostly involving metal heads. Nobody bothered with the punk side of moshing. Moshing at a punk show isn't beating people up, it's dancing out your anger, usually in a more violent form of skanking. It can involve things like spinning, jumping, and piggy back rides, usually in a circle pit. When you fall down in a mosh pit at a punk show, people help you up instead of trampling you. Tere is usually an unspoken code of conduct that everyone follows, except that one asshole that everyone hates. Moshing is really fun and stress relieving, and you sleep like a baby afterwards. You get bruises a lot of the time
I went to see the vandals last night and I moshed so had I slept for 18 hours. Moshing is so much fun!
by Malicious Mischief June 16, 2013
A dancing style closely associated with heavy/rock music. When people mosh they often knock into other people and move their head in time to the music. A group of people all moshing is called a mosh pit.
by Becx December 21, 2003
A style of violent dancing that was first done in The American Hardcore Punk scene. The word itself originated from the Bad Brains song I Against I. The lyrics were "Mash it up..." but because they were Rastafarian it sounded like mosh. it was often spelled Mash but pronounced Mosh until later on.
watch Minor Threat, Black Flag and Bad Brains for some early moshing vids
watch Minor Threat, Black Flag and Bad Brains for some early moshing vids
by Punk Philosophy January 14, 2008
Moshing (Mosh pits) can be expressed in many different ways at concerts, gigs, clubs, etc..
The first mosh was pushing each other with the palm of your hands inside a circle of people but now days has transformed into people punching, kicking, and even flipping themselves into others. No matter how violent the mosh may look, people who fall down are normally pulled straight back up by others in the pit. Also gives you an amazing rush.
The first mosh was pushing each other with the palm of your hands inside a circle of people but now days has transformed into people punching, kicking, and even flipping themselves into others. No matter how violent the mosh may look, people who fall down are normally pulled straight back up by others in the pit. Also gives you an amazing rush.
A: It all went so fast, I only remember hitting a guy in the back of his head in the mosh last night.
by Alex Forwards December 28, 2005