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.).
verb (used without object)
to become crushed.
to advance with crushing; press or crowd forcibly.
noun
the act of crushing; state of being crushed.
a great crowd: a crush of shoppers.
Informal.
an intense but usually short-lived infatuation with someone.
the object of such an infatuation: Who's your latest crush?
Verb Phrases
crush on,Informal. to have an infatuation with; have a crush on: She’s been crushing on him for a year.
Idioms for crush
crush it, Informal. to do something very well and with enthusiasm.
Origin of crush
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English cruschen, crusshen, from Middle French croi(s)sir, cruisir “to gnash one's teeth, make a crashing or cracking sound, crackle, rustle, smash,” Medieval Latin cruscīre “to crackle,” from Germanic; compare Gothic kriustan “to crunch, grind,” Old Swedish krusa, krosa “to crush,” krȳsta “to gnash (one's teeth),” Middle Low German krossen “to crush”
As made famous on the big screen in High Fidelity, mixtapes were the perfect way to woo your crush, or just impress your friends with how many obscure bands you’d heard of.
The best way to share playlists on every major platform|David Nield|October 8, 2020|Popular Science
Facebook is, in particular, notorious for its attempts to copy and crush rivals, like Snapchat and now TikTok.
Big Tech’s time is up|rhhackettfortune|October 7, 2020|Fortune
How to make a fortune tellerThis craft is one of the more difficult on this list, but we’ve placed it high up because of how common a tool it was for trying to find out if your crush liked you back, or if you were going to pass the next test.
Five classic paper toys you can make when you’re bored (whether you’re in school or not)|John Kennedy|October 7, 2020|Popular Science
The benefit, according to Rayl, is by everyone taking the same day off, there’s no pent-up crush of workload when people return—because no one else was assigning work while they were out either.
‘Integrators’ and ‘separators’: How managers are helping the two types of remote workers survive the pandemic|Jen Wieczner|September 16, 2020|Fortune
If you’re a little boy who has a crush on fox Robin Hood, maybe that leads you to accept yourself sooner.
Toward a queer Disney canon|Emily VanDerWerff|September 4, 2020|Vox
Why would “they” want to crush him just for attempting to buy something twenty years ago?
Phylicia Rashad and the Cult of Cosby Truthers|Stereo Williams|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
His high school prom was around the corner, and he had been hanging out with a boy that he had a crush on.
Beaten By His Church for Being Gay|Justin Jones|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We have a specific idea to attach to THE INTERVIEW that will crush.
Exclusive: Sony Emails Reveal Destiny’s Child and Kanye West Movies, and Spidey Cameo in Capt. 3|William Boot|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The main article called Reflections on the Final Crusade outlines in prophetic terms just how ISIS will crush Christianity.
The Pope’s Risky Trip|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A new reality series spotlights the extent people will go to impress a crush—from pretending to be deaf to committing theft.
‘My Crazy Love’ Reveals the Craziest Lies People Tell for Love|Kevin Fallon|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This, then, is the man who has undertaken to crush my friend Lecour on the question of extraction!
The False Chevalier|William Douw Lighthall
They can be led by a single hair of kindness—fanatical power may crush but can never drive them.
Sages and Heroes of the American Revolution|L. Carroll Judson
Bismarck corrected with a heavy hand so as to crush completely the last attempts at protest—if such ever really existed.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse|Vicente Blasco Ibanez
I should expect the house to fall and crush such wickedness!
Caleb Williams|William Godwin
Of course, you and Jack would scorn to notice it, but Donald has a crush on Olive.
The Ranch Girls' Pot of Gold|Margaret Vandercook
British Dictionary definitions for crush (1 of 2)
crush1
/ (krʌʃ) /
verb(mainly tr)
to press, mash, or squeeze so as to injure, break, crease, etc
to break or grind (rock, ore, etc) into small particles
to put down or subdue, esp by forceto crush a rebellion
to extract (juice, water, etc) by pressingto crush the juice from a lemon
to oppress harshly
to hug or clasp tightlyhe crushed her to him
to defeat or humiliate utterly, as in argument or by a cruel remark
(intr)to crowd; throng
(intr)to become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure
noun
a dense crowd, esp at a social occasion
the act of crushing; pressure
a drink or pulp prepared by or as if by crushing fruitorange crush
C14: from Old French croissir, of Germanic origin; compare Gothic kriustan to gnash; see crunch
British Dictionary definitions for crush (2 of 2)
crush2
/ (krʌʃ) /
noun
vet sciencea construction designed to confine and limit the movement of an animal, esp a large or dangerous animal, for examination or to perform a procedure on it