crush

[ kruhsh ]

verb (used with object)

1. to press or squeeze with a force that destroys or deforms.

   Synonyms: rumple, crumple

2. to squeeze or pound into small fragments or particles, as ore, stone, etc.

   Synonyms: crumble, mash, powder, pulverize

3. to force out by pressing or squeezing; extract:

   to crush cottonseeds in order to produce oil.

4. to rumple; wrinkle; crease.
5. to smooth or flatten by pressure:

   to crush leather.

6. to hug or embrace forcibly or strongly:

   He crushed her in his arms.

7. to destroy, subdue, or suppress utterly:

   to crush a revolt.

   Synonyms: quash, overcome, quell

8. to overwhelm with confusion, chagrin, or humiliation, as by argumentation or a slighting action or remark; squelch.
9. to oppress grievously.
10. Archaic. to finish drinking (wine, ale, etc.).

verb (used without object)

1. to become crushed.
2. to advance with crushing; press or crowd forcibly.

noun

1. the act of crushing; state of being crushed.
2. a great crowd:

   a crush of shoppers.

3. Informal.
   1. an intense but usually short-lived infatuation with someone.
   2. the object of such an infatuation:

      Who's your latest crush?

verb phrase

1. Informal. to have an infatuation with; have a crush on:

   She’s been crushing on him for a year.

crush

¹

/ krʌʃ /

verb

1. to press, mash, or squeeze so as to injure, break, crease, etc
2. to break or grind (rock, ore, etc) into small particles
3. to put down or subdue, esp by force

   to crush a rebellion

4. to extract (juice, water, etc) by pressing

   to crush the juice from a lemon

5. to oppress harshly
6. to hug or clasp tightly

   he crushed her to him

7. to defeat or humiliate utterly, as in argument or by a cruel remark
8. intr to crowd; throng
9. intr to become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure

noun

1. a dense crowd, esp at a social occasion
2. the act of crushing; pressure
3. a drink or pulp prepared by or as if by crushing fruit

   orange crush

4. informal.
   1. an infatuation

      she had a crush on him

   2. the person with whom one is infatuated

crush

²

/ krʌʃ /

noun

1. vet science a construction designed to confine and limit the movement of an animal, esp a large or dangerous animal, for examination or to perform a procedure on it

Derived Forms

• ˈcrusher, noun
• ˌcrushaˈbility, noun
• ˈcrushable, adjective

Other Words From

• crusha·ble adjective
• crusha·bili·ty noun
• crusha·bly adverb
• crusher noun
• un·crusha·ble adjective
• un·crushed adjective
• well-crushed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crush¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English cruschen, crusshen, from Middle French croi(s)sir, cruisir “to gnash one's teeth, make a crashing or cracking sound, crackle, rustle, smash,” Medieval Latin cruscīre “to crackle,” from Germanic; compare Gothic kriustan “to crunch, grind,” Old Swedish krusa, krosa “to crush,” krȳsta “to gnash (one's teeth),” Middle Low German krossen “to crush”

Word History and Origins

Origin of crush¹

C14: from Old French croissir, of Germanic origin; compare Gothic kriustan to gnash; see crunch

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. crush it, Informal. to do something very well and with enthusiasm.

More idioms and phrases containing crush

see have a crush on .

Synonym Study

See break.

Example Sentences

Crusius’ manifesto was striking because he considered the crushing squeeze of environmental degradation — the very changes that would be amplified by climate change — on communities, but from the opposite perspective.

From Salon

This Christmas marks not quite two years since Renner was severely injured, almost dying after being crushed by a 7-ton snowplow.

From Los Angeles Times

It came too late to save Sudan from the economic crisis that crushed its democratic experiment and fell away after Trump lost to Joe Biden.

From BBC

The Scottish National Party MP Pete Wishart mocked the news, telling the Commons: "We got the crushing news today that our British envoy to Scotland will no longer be coming there to represent this Parliament."

From BBC

But it quickly became clear, listening to the speeches and talking to delegates, that their definition of "unity" mostly meant crushing everyone else under the boot.

From Salon

Related Words

• horde
• multitude
• throng