squash

¹

[ skwosh, skwawsh ]

verb (used with object)

1. to press into a flat mass or pulp; crush:

   She squashed the flower under her heel.

2. to suppress or put down; quash.

   Synonyms: repress, crush, quell

3. to silence or disconcert (someone), as with a crushing retort or emotional or psychological pressure.
4. to press forcibly against or cram into a small space; squeeze.

verb (used without object)

1. to be pressed into a flat mass or pulp.
2. (of a soft, heavy body) to fall heavily.
3. to make one's way with a splashing sound; splash.
4. to be capable of being or likely to be squashed:

   Tomatoes squash easily.

5. to squeeze or crowd; crush.

noun

1. the act or sound of squashing.
2. the fact of squashing or of being squashed.
3. something squashed or crushed.
4. something soft and easily crushed.
5. Also called squash racquets. a game for two or four persons, similar to racquets but played on a smaller court and with a racket having a round head and a long handle.
6. Also called squash tennis. a game for two persons, resembling squash racquets except that the ball is larger and livelier and the racket is shaped like a tennis racket.
7. British. a beverage made from fruit juice and soda water:

   lemon squash.

squash

²

[ skwosh, skwawsh ]

noun

, plural squash·es, (especially collectively) squash.

1. the fruit of any of various vinelike, tendril-bearing plants belonging to the genus Curcurbita, of the gourd family, as C. moschata or C. pepo, used as a vegetable.
2. any of these plants.

squash

¹

/ skwɒʃ /

noun

1. any of various marrow-like cucurbitaceous plants of the genus Cucurbita , esp C. pepo and C. moschata , the fruits of which have a hard rind surrounding edible flesh
2. the fruit of any of these plants, eaten as a vegetable

squash

²

/ skwɒʃ /

verb

1. to press or squeeze or be pressed or squeezed in or down so as to crush, distort, or pulp
2. tr to suppress or overcome
3. tr to humiliate or crush (a person), esp with a disconcerting retort
4. intr to make a sucking, splashing, or squelching sound
5. often foll byin or into to enter or insert in a confined space

noun

1. a still drink made from fruit juice or fruit syrup diluted with water
2. a crush, esp of people in a confined space
3. something that is squashed
4. the act or sound of squashing or the state of being squashed
5. Also calledsquash racketssquash racquets a game for two or four players played in an enclosed court with a small rubber ball and light long-handled rackets. The ball may be hit against any of the walls but must hit the facing wall at a point above a horizontal line See also rackets
6. Also calledsquash tennis a similar game played with larger rackets and a larger pneumatic ball

Derived Forms

• ˈsquasher, noun

Other Words From

• squasher noun
• un·squashed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of squash¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English squachen, squatche “destroy, smash,” from Old French esquacher, esquasser, from Vulgar Latin exquassāre. (unrecorded), equivalent to ex- intensive prefix + quassāre “to shake”; ex- ¹, quash

Origin of squash²

An Americanism dating back to 1635–45; from Narragansett ( English spelling) askútasquash (plural)

Word History and Origins

Origin of squash¹

C17: from Narraganset askutasquash , literally: green vegetable eaten green

Origin of squash²

C16: from Old French esquasser , from Vulgar Latin exquassāre (unattested), from Latin ex- ¹+ quassāre to shatter

Example Sentences

Cricket, flag football, baseball and softball, lacrosse and squash are the five sports Los Angeles Olympic organizers hope to add for the 2028 Games.

From Los Angeles Times

“Anything that detracted from his game plan at that time, he would squash it, but he did it with velvet gloves.”

From BBC

Smith is reportedly seeking to squash the cases, as the Department of Justice has a long-standing policy not to prosecute sitting presidents.

From Salon

As happy as I am that we have finally made it to voting day, I feel duty-bound to squash any relief out there by being clear that we still have a long way to go before we all agree on a winner.

From Los Angeles Times

Galanter, who held office from 1987 to 2003, vehemently opposed the city’s ethics commission when it was created in 1990, convinced it would do little to squash corruption.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crush
• extinguish
• flatten
• quash
• quell
• squish
• suppress
• trample