v., n., & adv.
v. 1 intr. & tr. make or cause to make a loud smashing noise (the cymbals crashed; crashed the plates together). 2 tr. & intr. throw, drive, move, or fall with a loud smashing noise. 3 intr. & tr. a collide or cause (a vehicle) to collide violently with another vehicle, obstacle, etc.; overturn at high speed. b fall or cause (an aircraft) to fall violently on to the land or the sea (crashed the plane; the airman crashed into the sea). 4 intr. (usu. foll. by into) collide violently (crashed into the window). 5 intr. undergo financial ruin. 6 tr. colloq. enter without permission (crashed the cocktail party). 7 intr. colloq. be heavily defeated (crashed to a 4-0 defeat). 8 intr. Computing (of a machine or system) fail suddenly. 9 tr. colloq. pass (a red traffic-light etc.). 10 intr. (often foll. by out) sl. sleep for a night, esp. in an improvised setting.
n. 1 a a loud and sudden smashing noise (a thunder crash; the crash of crockery). b a breakage (esp. of crockery, glass, etc.). 2 a a violent collision, esp. of one vehicle with another or with an object. b the violent fall of an aircraft on to the land or sea. 3 ruin, esp. financial. 4 Computing a sudden failure which puts a system out of action. 5 (attrib.) done rapidly or urgently (a crash course in first aid).
adv. with a crash (the window went crash). crash barrier a barrier intended to prevent a car from leaving the road etc. crash-dive
v. 1 intr. a (of a submarine or its pilot) dive hastily and steeply in an emergency. b (of an aircraft or airman) dive and crash. 2 tr. cause to crash-dive.
n. such a dive. crash-halt a sudden stop by a vehicle. crash-helmet a helmet worn esp. by a motorcyclist to protect the head in a crash. crash-land 1 intr. (of an aircraft or airman) land hurriedly with a crash, usu. without lowering the undercarriage. 2 tr. cause (an aircraft) to crash-land. crash landing a hurried landing with a crash. crash pad sl. a place to sleep, esp. in an emergency. crash-stop = crash-halt. crash-tackle Football a vigorous tackle.
[ ME: imit. ]