I. ˈkrash, -raa(ə)sh, -raish verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: Middle English crasschen, perhaps alteration of crasen to break — more at craze
transitive verb
1.
a. : to break into pieces violently and noisily : smash , shatter
crash a glass against a wall
b. : to bring (an airplane) down in such a manner that damage is sustained in landing
2.
a. : to cause to make a loud noise : make a loud shattering or clattering noise with
b. : to force (as one's way) with loud crashing noises
crash one's way through brush
3. obsolete : to snap (the teeth) together : gnash
4.
a. : to enter or attend without invitation or credentials or without paying
crash a dance
crash an executive's office
b. : to gain acceptance, position, or recognition in usually suddenly and spectacularly
the murder crashed the headlines
when television crashed the retail market
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to break or go to pieces especially with or as if with violence and noise
the national economy crashed
b. : to crash an airplane
2. : to make a loud smashing or shattering noise
crashing thunder
3.
a. : to move with or as if with a crashing noise
the doors crashed open
the crashed into the room
b. : to force one's way with or as if with a crash
he crashed through the line for a touchdown
•
- crash the gate
II. noun
( -es )
1. : a loud sound (as of many hard things smashing or shattering) : smash
a crash of thunder
the crash of a military band
a crash of applause
a crash of static
— often used interjectionally
crash went the lamp against the floor
2. : a breaking to pieces especially by or as if by collision : a smashing especially of or as if of heavy bodies ; also : an instance of crashing
an airplane crash
the crash of a falling tree
3.
a. : a sudden failure especially of a business : a sudden widespread business collapse
stock market crash
b. : the period of heavy mortality and sharp decline in numbers of an animal with strongly developed population cycles ; also : the decline in population during such a period
4. archaic : spell , bout , turn — used especially in the phrase have a crash at
5. : a basket of glass or pottery fragments used in the theater to imitate the sound of breaking glass
III. adjective
: designed to meet emergency conditions especially in the shortest possible time by maximum utilization of resources
a crash program
crash priority
do a crash job of making the most needed changes — G.C.Smith
IV. noun
( -es )
Etymology: probably modification of Russian krashenina colored linen, from krashenie dyeing, from krasit' to color, beautify, from krasa beauty; probably akin to Sanskrit carkṛti praise — more at caduceus
1.
a. : a coarse fabric made in plain weave of uneven linen, rayon, cotton, or jute and cotton yarns and used for draperies, toweling, and table linen and often in smooth-finished form for clothing
b. : a fabric covering for a carpeted floor (as for use during a dance)
2. : a grayish yellow that is greener and duller than chamois, slightly greener and less strong than old ivory, and greener and duller than flax
V. intransitive verb
1. slang : to experience the aftereffects (as dysphoria or depression) of drug intoxication
2. slang : sleep
sometimes we can't pay the rent and we crash around town, sleep in yards or at friends' houses — East Village Other
also : to reside temporarily : stay
crashing with friends for a few days
3. of a computer system, component, or program : to suffer a sudden major failure usually with attendant loss of data
transitive verb
: to cause (a computer system, component, or program) to crash
• crash noun