n.
Pronunciation: ' kr ə sh
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English crusshen, from Anglo-French croissir, croistre, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Low German krossen to crush
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1 a : to squeeze or force by pressure so as to alter or destroy structure < crush grapes> b : to squeeze together into a mass
2 : HUG , EMBRACE
3 : to reduce to particles by pounding or grinding < crush rock>
4 a : to suppress or overwhelm as if by pressure or weight b : to oppress or burden grievously < crush ed by debt> c : to subdue completely <the rebellion was crush ed >
5 : CROWD , PUSH <were crush ed into the elevator>
6 archaic : DRINK
intransitive verb
1 obsolete : CRASH
2 : to become crushed
3 : to advance with or as if with crushing
– crush · able \ ' kr ə -sh ə -b ə l \ adjective
– crush · er noun
– crush · ing · ly adverb