INDEX:
1. to press something so hard that it breaks, folds, or becomes flat
2. when something has been squashed
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ PRESS
↑ FLAT/NOT FLAT
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1. to press something so hard that it breaks, folds, or becomes flat
▷ squash /skwɒʃǁskwɑːʃ, skwɔːʃ/ [transitive verb]
to damage something, especially something soft, by pressing it and making it flat :
▪ Someone sat on my hat and squashed it.
▪ He wouldn’t even squash a fly, let alone murder someone.
squash something flat
▪ He squashed the can flat between his hands.
▷ crush /krʌʃ/ [transitive verb]
to press something so hard that it gets damaged or broken into pieces :
▪ His leg was crushed in the accident.
▪ Coconuts have to be crushed in order to extract their oil.
▪ He closed his fist over the flower, crushing it into a pulp.
▷ flatten /ˈflætn/ [transitive verb]
to squash something until it is completely flat :
▪ He fell against me so heavily I thought he was going to flatten me.
▪ Her little car was completely flattened in the accident.
▷ mash /mæʃ/ [transitive verb]
to press fruit or cooked vegetables with a fork or similar tool, until they are soft and smooth :
▪ Mash the bananas and add them to the mixture.
mash something up/mash up something
▪ Boil the potatoes and then mash them up.
▷ grind /graɪnd/ [transitive verb]
to break something such as coffee beans or corn into powder, using a machine or special tool :
▪ Grind some black pepper over the salad.
grind something into something
▪ These huge stones were once used for grinding wheat into flour.
▷ pound /paʊnd/ [transitive verb]
to press or hit something repeatedly, especially using a tool, so that it breaks into very small pieces or becomes soft or flat :
▪ He pounded some garlic and ginger and put it in the pan.
pound something flat
▪ Here the loose earth had been pounded flat by thousands of feet.
▷ press /pres/ [transitive verb]
to crush a fruit or vegetable using special equipment to remove the juice, oil etc :
▪ Friends come to help us gather the crop and press the grapes.
▪ Enough olives had been gathered and pressed to produce 1000 litres of cooking oil.
▷ screw up /ˌskruː ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to press a piece of paper or cloth into the shape of a ball :
screw up something
▪ Sally screwed up the letter she was writing and threw it into the wastebasket.
screw something/it up
▪ He screwed his handkerchief up into a ball and put it in his pocket.
▷ crumple/crumple up /ˈkrʌmp ə l, ˌkrʌmp ə l ˈʌp/ [transitive verb/transitive phrasal verb]
to press a piece of paper or cloth so that it becomes smaller or bent :
▪ He crumpled the cheque and threw it across the room.
▪ Crumple up the bedclothes so it looks as though you slept there.
2. when something has been squashed
▷ squashed /skwɒʃtǁskwɑːʃt, skwɔːʃt/ [adjective]
something soft that is squashed is damaged because it has been pressed and made flatter :
▪ He held out a squashed packet of cigarettes and offered me one.
▪ We can’t give her those chocolates - they’re all squashed.
▷ crushed /krʌʃt/ [adjective]
something that is crushed has been squashed and broken by something heavy :
▪ Remove the butter from the heat and stir in the crushed biscuits.
▪ The dog hurtled through the garden, leaving a trail of crushed plants.
▷ flattened /ˈflætnd/ [adjective]
squashed until completely flat :
▪ There was a flattened Coca-Cola can on the ground.
▪ a mountain of flattened cardboard boxes
▷ mashed /mæʃt/ [adjective]
mashed food has been squashed with something such as a fork until it is soft and smooth :
▪ He ate the mashed potatoes but not the meat.
▪ a spoonful of mashed swede
▷ ground /graʊnd/ [adjective]
ground coffee, corn, or other food has been made into powder using a special machine or tool :
▪ freshly ground black coffee
▪ ground almonds