WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
crush /krʌʃ/USA pronunciation
v.
n.
crush•er, n. [countable]
crush•ing, adj.: a crushing defeat at the polls.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to press or squeeze with a force that destroys or changes the shape of:[~ + object]The women crushed the grapes to make wine.
- to pound into small particles:[~ + object]I crushed some ice and added it to her drink.
- to (cause to) wrinkle, crease, or collapse into tiny folds: [~ + object]She crushed the paper and threw it away.[no object]This material crushes too easily to be of any use.
- to force out by pressing or squeezing:[~ + object]He crushed the juice from the grapes.
- to hug or embrace tightly:[~ + object]He crushed the princess in his arms.
- [~ + object] to overwhelm;
destroy completely: The Rangers crushed the Islanders 10-1 last night at the arena. - to shock or upset;
affect grievously:[~ + object]The news of his death crushed me. - to (cause to) move forward with force: [no object]The reporters tried to crush into the courtroom.[~ + object]The surging crowd crushed us against the wall.
n.
- [uncountable]the act of crushing or the state of being crushed;
pressure;
force. - a great crowd;
throng:[countable* usually singular]a crush of people. - Informal Terms Informal. an intense, brief feeling of love or attraction for someone:[countable]had a crush on you in high school.
crush•er, n. [countable]
crush•ing, adj.: a crushing defeat at the polls.
crush
(krush),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
n.
crush′a•ble, adj.
crush′a•bil′i•ty, n.
crush′a•bly, adv.
crush′er, n.
- to press or squeeze with a force that destroys or deforms.
- to squeeze or pound into small fragments or particles, as ore, stone, etc.
- to force out by pressing or squeezing;
extract:to crush cottonseeds in order to produce oil. - to rumple;
wrinkle;
crease. - to smooth or flatten by pressure:to crush leather.
- to hug or embrace forcibly or strongly:He crushed her in his arms.
- to destroy, subdue, or suppress utterly:to crush a revolt.
- to overwhelm with confusion, chagrin, or humiliation, as by argumentation or a slighting action or remark;
squelch. - to oppress grievously.
- [Archaic.]to finish drinking (wine, ale, etc.).
v.i.
- to become crushed.
- to advance with crushing;
press or crowd forcibly.
n.
- the act of crushing;
state of being crushed. - a great crowd:a crush of shoppers.
- Informal Terms
- an intense but usually short-lived infatuation.
- the object of such an infatuation:Who is your latest crush?
- Gmc; compare Old Swedish krusa, krosa, Middle Low German krossen to crush
- Middle French cruisir
- Middle English crus-chen 1300–50
crush′a•bil′i•ty, n.
crush′a•bly, adv.
crush′er, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged crumple, rumple.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged pulverize, powder, mash, crumble. See break.
- 7.See corresponding entry in Unabridged quell, overcome, quash.