Meaning of crush in English

1. Pronunciation

   /krəʃ/

   US accent

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   UK accent

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1. Verb

   crush

   Etymology

   Middle English: from Old French cruissir, ‘gnash (teeth) or crack’, of unknown origin

   Definitions

   1. come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority

   Examples

   • « The government oppresses political activists »
2. 2. to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition

   Examples

   • « crush an aluminum can »
   • « squeeze a lemon »
3. 3. come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

   Examples

   • « Agassi beat Becker in the tennis championship »
   • « We beat the competition »
   • « Harvard defeated Yale in the last football game »
4. 4. break into small pieces

   Examples

   • « The car crushed the toy »
5. 5. humiliate or depress completely

   Examples

   • « She was crushed by his refusal of her invitation »
   • « The death of her son smashed her »
6. 6. crush or bruise

   Examples

   • « jam a toe »
7. 7. make ineffective

   Examples

   • « Martin Luther King tried to break down racial discrimination »
8. 8. become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure

   Examples

   • « The plastic bottle crushed against the wall »

9. Noun

   crush

   Definitions

   1. leather that has had its grain pattern accentuated
10. 2. a dense crowd of people
11. 3. temporary love of an adolescent
12. 4. the act of crushing