Crush
/krʌʃ/
Definitions
5 meaningsTo break or compress something into small pieces or a pulp by force.
/krʌʃ/
To press or squeeze something so as to break or damage it.
The truck crushed the car.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're trying to make a really small pile of something. Crushing is like squeezing it until it's flat or broken up, like when you step on a bug or squish a cracker.
👶 For kids: To squeeze something really hard until it breaks or squishes.
More Examples
She crushed the cookie into crumbs.
The machine crushes the ore to extract the metal.
How It's Used
"The car crushed the soda can."
"Crush the garlic cloves before adding them to the sauce."
To defeat or suppress someone or something decisively.
/krʌʃ/
To defeat or subdue completely.
The military crushed the rebellion.
💡 Simply: Imagine your favorite team completely beating their rivals. Crushing is like winning so decisively that the other team doesn't have a chance, like crushing a bug under your foot.
👶 For kids: To win really, really big.
More Examples
The sales team crushed their targets this quarter.
The boxer crushed his opponent in the first round.
How It's Used
"The team crushed their opponents in the final match."
"The company crushed its competitors through innovation."
A strong, often temporary feeling of attraction or infatuation.
/krʌʃ/
A strong but temporary infatuation.
He had a crush on his teacher.
💡 Simply: Remember when you thought someone was super cool and you couldn't stop thinking about them? A crush is like a mini-love, where you really like someone a lot, but it might not be forever, like your favorite superhero, just that they are awesome.
👶 For kids: When you really, really like someone.
More Examples
She confessed her crush to her best friend.
Teenagers often experience crushes.
How It's Used
"She has a crush on the new boy in class."
"I had a big crush on him when I was younger."
The act or process of crushing something.
/krʌʃ/
The act of crushing.
The crush of the rocks created fine powder.
💡 Simply: Think of when you squeeze something to get its juice or break it. The crush is when you do the squeezing or the smashing part, like when a grape is crushed to make juice.
👶 For kids: The act of squishing something.
More Examples
The sudden crush of the brakes saved the pedestrian.
The harvest requires the initial crush of the grapes.
How It's Used
"The crush of the grapes yielded a sweet juice."
"The crush of the crowd made it difficult to move."
A large number of people crowded together.
/krʌʃ/
A large number of people.
The crush of fans outside the stadium was overwhelming.
💡 Simply: Imagine being in a very crowded place with lots of people squished together. A crush means there are a lot of people close together, like a pile of people.
👶 For kids: Lots and lots of people all together.
More Examples
A crush of shoppers flooded the department store during the sale.
He got lost in the crush of people.
How It's Used
"There was a crush of people trying to enter the concert venue."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
have a crush on
To be romantically attracted to someone.
"She has a crush on him since the first day."
crush something to a pulp
To completely destroy or severely damage something.
"The economic crisis crushed the industry to a pulp."
crush on someone
To feel a romantic attraction towards someone.
"He has a crush on Sarah."
From Middle English crushen, from Old French cruissir ("to crunch, break, or crush"), of Germanic origin.
The word 'crush' has been used since the 14th century, initially referring to the physical act of breaking or pressing. The figurative meanings developed later.
Memory tip
Imagine crushing grapes to make wine - the force required breaks them down.
Word Origin
"To crunch, break, or crush"