crush
gb/kɹˈʌʃ/ us/kɹˈʌʃ/
A2
English
~ 1400
összenyom, összezúz, bele van zúgva, belezúgás, fölényesen legyőz, lever, szétver, tömegnyomor, tolongás, zsúfoltság
VERB
B1
1
Usage pattern:
to crush [something]
She accidentally crushed the paper cup in her hand.
Véletlenül összenyomta a papírpoharat a kezében.
The machine is used to crush stones into gravel.
Ezzel a géppel a köveket zúzalékká zúzzák.
He crushed the can before throwing it in the recycling bin.
The chef crushed the garlic with the flat side of a knife.
Learner examples
I crushed the can with my foot.
A lábammal összenyomtam a dobozt.
She crushed the cookie in her hand.
Összemorzsolta a kekszet a kezében.
He crushed the grapes to make juice.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'crush' with 'smash', but 'smash' usually means breaking something into pieces with sudden force, while 'crush' emphasizes pressing and squeezing.
Meaning
Press or squeeze with force
Collocations
crush garlic
|crush ice
|crush a can
|crush grapes
Synonyms
squash (Often used for softer objects; slightly more informal.)
Antonyms
release (To let go of something so it returns to its original shape.)
Themes
daily life
|food
|physical actions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To press something very hard so that it breaks or loses its shape.
To press or squeeze something with enough force to change its shape, break it, or destroy it.
NOUN
A2
INFORMAL
2
belezúgás
B2
Usage pattern:
have a crush on [someone]
I had a huge crush on my classmate in high school.
Középiskolában nagyon bele voltam zúgva az egyik osztálytársamba.
She told me about her secret crush.
Mesélt nekem a titkos szerelméről.
He still remembers his first crush from summer camp.
Learner examples
I have a crush on my friend.
Bele vagyok zúgva az egyik barátomba.
She has a crush on her teacher.
Bele van zúgva a tanárába.
He told me about his crush.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'crush' as a verb in this sense ('I crush on him')—in standard English, we say 'I have a crush on him'.
Meaning
Short romantic infatuation
Collocations
have a crush
|develop a crush
|school crush
Synonyms
infatuation (More formal and can imply irrationality.)
Antonyms
disinterest (Lack of attraction or emotional involvement.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A short and strong feeling of liking someone in a romantic way.
A strong but usually temporary romantic attraction to someone, often without them knowing.
VERB
B2
3
Usage pattern:
to crush [someone/opponent]
Our team crushed their rivals 5–0.
A csapatunk 5–0-ra fölényesen legyőzte a riválisát.
The army crushed the rebellion within days.
A hadsereg néhány nap alatt leverte a lázadást.
She crushed her opponent in the final match.
Learner examples
Our team crushed the other team.
A csapatunk fölényesen legyőzte a másik csapatot.
They crushed their enemy quickly.
Gyorsan szétverték az ellenségüket.
She crushed him in the game.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'rush' or 'brush' due to similar sounds; also, 'crush' here is metaphorical, not physical.
Meaning
Defeat completely
Collocations
crush the competition
|crush the enemy
|crush an opponent
Synonyms
overwhelm (Less physical, more about mental or numerical dominance.)
Antonyms
lose to (To be defeated instead of defeating.)
Themes
sports
|conflict
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To win against someone in a very strong way so they have no chance.
To completely overpower or defeat someone, often in a decisive or humiliating way.
NOUN
B2
4
There was a crush of fans at the concert entrance.
A koncert bejáratánál tömegnyomor volt a rajongók miatt.
We got caught in the rush-hour crush.
Beleragadtunk a csúcsforgalmi tömegnyomorba.
The crush at the sale made it hard to shop.
Learner examples
There was a crush at the station.
Tömegnyomor volt az állomáson.
We were stuck in a crush of people.
Beszorultunk a sűrű tömegbe.
I saw a big crush at the market.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'rush', but 'crush' emphasizes physical crowding, not speed.
Meaning
Dense crowd of people
Collocations
holiday crush
|rush-hour crush
Synonyms
crowd (General term; doesn't always imply physical pressure.)
Antonyms
space (An open area without crowding.)
Themes
events
|safety
|daily_life
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A large group of people standing so close that it is hard to move.
A situation where a large number of people are packed closely together, often causing difficulty moving or breathing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
crush
IPA
GB/kɹˈʌʃ/
US/kɹˈʌʃ/
Syllables & stress
crush (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (crush)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: crush
- Plural: crush, crushes
Verb
- Base: crush
- 3rd Person Singular: crushes
- Present Participle: crushing
- Past: crushed
Word family
Forms
crushes
noun
crushing
verb
crushed
verb
Related words
crusher
noun
Expressions
crush on someone
1/kɹˈʌʃ ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
informal
Like someone romantically (informal)
To like someone in a romantic way (informal).
Examples
- She’s been crushing on him for months.
- I totally crush on that actor.
crush the competition
1/kɹˈʌʃ ðə kˌɑmpətˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Defeat rivals completely
To win against all other people or groups in business or sports in a very strong way.
Examples
- Our new product will crush the competition.
- They crushed the competition at the tournament.
have a crush on
1/hˈæv ə kɹˈʌʃ ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
informal
Feel romantic attraction for someone
To like someone in a romantic way for a short time.
Examples
- I’ve had a crush on her since last summer.
- He has a crush on his coworker.
puppy love / puppy crush
1/pˈʌpi lˈʌv pˈʌpi kɹˈʌʃ/
fixed phrase
informal
Childish early romantic attraction
A young person’s simple and not serious love for someone.
Examples
- It was just puppy love; they were too young to understand real relationships.
- Her puppy crush on the singer faded quickly.