What does "crush" mean?
Crush: The ass . . . thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. Num. xxii.
Additional senses
- 2.2. To reduce to fine particles by pounding or grinding; to comminute; as, to crush quartz.
- 3.To overwhelm by pressure or weight; to beat or force down, as by an incumbent weight. To crush the pillars which the pile sustain. Dryden. Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again. Bryant.
- 4.To oppress or burden grievously. Thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway. Deut. xxviii.
- 5.5. To overcome completely; to subdue totally. Speedily overtaking and crushing the rebels. Sir. W. Scott. To crush a cup, to drink. [Obs.] -- To crush out. (a) To force out or separate by pressure, as juice from grapes. (b) To overcome or destroy completely; to suppress.
- 6.To be or become broken down or in, or pressed into a smaller compass, by external weight or force; as, an eggshell crushes easily.
- 7.A violent collision or compression; a crash; destruction; ruin. The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds. Addison.
- 8.Violent pressure, as of a crowd; a crowd which produced uncomfortable pressure; as, a crush at a peception. Crush hat, a hat which collapses, and can be carried under the arm, and when expanded is held in shape by springs; hence, any hat not injured by compressing. -- Crush room, a large room in a theater, opera house, etc., where the audience may promenade or converse during the intermissions; a foyer. Politics leave very little time for the bow window at White's in the day, or for the crush room of the opera at night. Macualay.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00