crush

[ kruhsh ]

/ krʌʃ /

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See synonyms for: crush / crushed / crushing / crusher on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

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

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

to force out by pressing or squeezing; extract: to crush cottonseeds in order to produce oil.

to rumple; wrinkle; crease.

to smooth or flatten by pressure: to crush leather.

to hug or embrace forcibly or strongly: He crushed her in his arms.

to destroy, subdue, or suppress utterly: to crush a revolt.

to overwhelm with confusion, chagrin, or humiliation, as by argumentation or a slighting action or remark; squelch.

to oppress grievously.

Archaic. to finish drinking (wine, ale, etc.).

verb (used without object)

to become crushed.

to advance with crushing; press or crowd forcibly.

noun

the act of crushing; state of being crushed.

a great crowd: a crush of shoppers.

Informal.

an intense but usually short-lived infatuation with someone.
the object of such an infatuation: Who's your latest crush?

Verb Phrases

crush on, Informal. to have an infatuation with; have a crush on: She’s been crushing on him for a year.

OTHER WORDS FOR crush

1 crumple, rumple.

2 pulverize, powder, mash, crumble.

7 quell, overcome, quash.

See synonyms for crush on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about crush

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

Origin of crush

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”

synonym study for crush

2. See break.

OTHER WORDS FROM crush

crush·a·ble, adjectivecrush·a·bil·i·ty, nouncrush·a·bly, adverbcrusher, noun

un·crush·a·ble, adjectiveun·crushed, adjectivewell-crushed, adjective

Words nearby crush

crusade, crusader, Crusades, crusado, cruse, crush, crush bar, crush barrier, crushed velvet, crushproof, crush-resistant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use crush in a sentence

As made famous on the big screen in High Fidelity, mixtapes were the perfect way to woo your crush, or just impress your friends with how many obscure bands you’d heard of.
The best way to share playlists on every major platform|David Nield|October 8, 2020|Popular-Science
Facebook is, in particular, notorious for its attempts to copy and crush rivals, like Snapchat and now TikTok.
Big Tech’s time is up|rhhackettfortune|October 7, 2020|Fortune
How to make a fortune tellerThis craft is one of the more difficult on this list, but we’ve placed it high up because of how common a tool it was for trying to find out if your crush liked you back, or if you were going to pass the next test.
Five classic paper toys you can make when you’re bored (whether you’re in school or not)|John Kennedy|October 7, 2020|Popular-Science
The benefit, according to Rayl, is by everyone taking the same day off, there’s no pent-up crush of workload when people return—because no one else was assigning work while they were out either.
‘Integrators’ and ‘separators’: How managers are helping the two types of remote workers survive the pandemic|Jen Wieczner|September 16, 2020|Fortune

If you’re a little boy who has a crush on fox Robin Hood, maybe that leads you to accept yourself sooner.
Toward a queer Disney canon|Emily VanDerWerff|September 4, 2020|Vox
Why would “they” want to crush him just for attempting to buy something twenty years ago?
Phylicia Rashad and the Cult of Cosby Truthers|Stereo Williams|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
His high school prom was around the corner, and he had been hanging out with a boy that he had a crush on.
Beaten By His Church for Being Gay|Justin Jones|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Tank Battle Jeep Guard Crush -- some editorial changes and the removal of all blood when the guards are crushed by the tank.
Sony Emails Show How the Studio Plans to Censor Kim Jong Un Assassination Comedy ‘The Interview’|William Boot|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We have a specific idea to attach to THE INTERVIEW that will crush.
Exclusive: Sony Emails Reveal Destiny’s Child and Kanye West Movies, and Spidey Cameo in Capt. 3|William Boot|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The main article called Reflections on the Final Crusade outlines in prophetic terms just how ISIS will crush Christianity.
The Pope’s Risky Trip|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her feet crush creeping things: there is a busy ant or blazoned beetle, with its back broken, writhing in the dust, unseen.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
The Emperor found he had no longer any reason to fear him, and for the moment determined to crush him completely.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
There, in the crush, he unceremoniously lost her, and sped like a maniac to the entrance gates.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
You have heard of my misfortunes, and you take a mean advantage of your knowledge to crush and kill me.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
The Emperor staked his last card, and ordered the Guard to make one last effort to crush the English infantry.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison

British Dictionary definitions for crush (1 of 2)

crush¹

/ (krʌʃ) /

verb (mainly tr)

to press, mash, or squeeze so as to injure, break, crease, etc

to break or grind (rock, ore, etc) into small particles

to put down or subdue, esp by forceto crush a rebellion

to extract (juice, water, etc) by pressingto crush the juice from a lemon

to oppress harshly

to hug or clasp tightlyhe crushed her to him

to defeat or humiliate utterly, as in argument or by a cruel remark

(intr) to crowd; throng

(intr) to become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure

noun

a dense crowd, esp at a social occasion

the act of crushing; pressure

a drink or pulp prepared by or as if by crushing fruitorange crush

informal

an infatuationshe had a crush on him
the person with whom one is infatuated

Derived forms of crush

crushable, adjectivecrushability, nouncrusher, noun

Word Origin for crush

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

British Dictionary definitions for crush (2 of 2)

crush²

/ (krʌʃ) /

noun

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with crush

crush

see have a crush on.

crush

OTHER WORDS FOR crush

Idioms about crush

Origin of crush

synonym study for crush

OTHER WORDS FROM crush

Words nearby crush

Words related to crush

How to use crush in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crush (1 of 2)

Derived forms of crush

Word Origin for crush

British Dictionary definitions for crush (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with crush