crush

crush Definition

crush (krus̸h)

transitive verb

to press between two opposing forces so as to break or injure; put out of shape or condition by pressure; squeeze together; crumple
to press, grind, or pound into small particles or into powder
to subdue or suppress by or as by force; overwhelm
to oppress harshly
to extract by pressing or squeezing

Etymology: ME crushen < OFr croisir, to gnash (teeth), crash, break < Frank *krostjan, to gnash; akin to OSwed krysta, Goth kriustan

intransitive verb

noun

Related Forms:

crush Synonyms

To break into small pieces
smash, pulverize, pound, grind; see break 2, grind 1.
To press so as to injure or break
press, mash, crumple, squash; see damage 1, mash, press 1.
To defeat utterly
overwhelm, beat down, force down, annihilate; see defeat 1, 2. See syn. study at beat.

crush Usage Examples

Object

rebellion: But American forces failed to prevent Saddam from crushing the rebellion, that led to the death of thousands of Iraqis.
defeat: Only in Oldham did the BNP suffer a crushing defeat.
garlic: In a pestle and mortar, crush the garlic with the sugar and a pinch of salt into a paste.
revolt: Hussein's loyal military units assaulted Shiite towns and villages, hunted rebels down and crushed the revolt.
uprising: A few weeks later, the government crushed an uprising by 400 troops in the capital.
clove: Chop 4 shallots and crush a large garlic clove.

Subject

Adjective modifier

embarrassing: Who is your most embarrassing crush that you've ever had?
teenage: Did you have a teenage crush on the fittest skeptic on TV, Scully of The X Files?
massive: CORRIE babe Tina O'Brien has revealed she has a massive crush on Leonardo DiCaprio.. .

Modifies a noun

fracture: Crush fractures of the vertebrae are thought to be three times as common as hip fractures.
barrier: The slope of the stands and steps are constructed to seat spectators and of course there are no crush barriers in a seated area.
injury: He had suffered severe crush injuries to his bowels.

Modifying Another Word

brutally: Two years later he moved back to Bulgaria where he led a worker's revolt that was brutally crushed by the capitalist government.
ruthlessly: They were ruthlessly crushed by a crusade launched by Pope Innocent III, involving Simon de Montfort of Leicester.
lightly: Serve the soup hot or cold and garnished with asparagus tips and lightly crushed pink peppercorns.
freshly: It is freshly crushed to release over 78 minerals and trace elements to remineralise soil and compost heaps.

Noun used with modifier

Preposition: in

ice: The ship wouldn't be crushed in pack ice but it was sealed in until spring.

Preposition: by

crush Quotes

I don't meet competition. I crush it.

—Reston,James B(arrett)

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