English Explanatory Dictionary

crush

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A violent collision or compression; a crash; destruction; ruin.
  2. Violent pressure, as of a moving crowd.
  3. A violent crowding.
  4. A crowd that produces uncomfortable pressure.
  5. A group or gang.
  6. A crowd control barrier.
  7. A drink made by squeezing the juice out of fruit.
  8. An infatuation with somebody one is not dating.
  9. The human object of such infatuation or affection.
  10. A standing stock or cage with movable sides used to restrain livestock for safe handling.
  11. A party or festive function.
  12. The process of crushing cane to remove the raw sugar, or the season when this process takes place.
verb
  1. To press between two hard objects; to squeeze so as to alter the natural shape or integrity, or to force together into a mass.
  2. To reduce to fine particles by pounding or grinding.
  3. To overwhelm by pressure or weight.
  4. To do impressively well at (sports events; performances; interviews; etc.).
  5. To oppress or grievously burden.
  6. To overcome completely; to subdue totally.
  7. To be or become broken down or in, or pressed into a smaller volume or area, by external weight or force.
  8. To feel infatuation or unrequited love.
  9. To give a compressed or foreshortened appearance to.
  10. To make certain colors so similar as to be hard to distinguish, either as a deliberate effect or as a limitation of a display.

Pronunciation

/kɹʌʃ/ en-us-crush.ogg EN-AU ck1 crush.ogg

Word forms

crush crushes crushing crushed

Etymology

From Middle English cruschen (“to crush, smash, squeeze, squash”), from Old French croissir (“to crush”), from Late Latin *crusciō (“to crush”), from Frankish *krustijan (“to crush, squeeze, squash”), from Proto-Germanic *kreustaną (“to crush, grind, strike, smash”). Cognate with Middle Low German tôkrosten (“to crush, shatter”), Swedish krysta (“to squeeze”), Danish kryste (“to squash”), Icelandic kreista (“to squeeze, squash”), Faroese kroysta (“to squeeze”), Gothic 𐌺𐍂𐌹𐌿𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌽 (kriustan, “to gnash”). Akin also to Middle Dutch crosen (“to bruise, crush”), Middle Low German krossen, krö̂sen, tôkrö̂sen (“to break, shatter”), Old Swedish krusa (“to crush”).

Synonyms

pulverise slay at kill ace squash comminute pulverize overtake

Derived words

cattle crush crush barrier crush cage crush depth crushee crush hat crushlike crush load crush party crush pen crushproof crush room crush syndrome crush-worthy crushworthy crush zone fruit crush girl-crush girl crush livestock crush man crush noncrush becrush bone-crushing dog croggle crushability crushable crush a cup crushed sugar crushed velvet crusher crushing crush it crush on crush out recrush soul-crushing toe-crushing uncrush
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