crash

Pluralcrashes

Formscrashes, crashing, crashed

1. 1
   an accidentnouncountable

   An accident in which a car, plane, or other vehicle hits something or is badly damaged.

   Like two toy cars smashing into each other on the floor.

   The car crash blocked the highway for hours.

   Everyone walked away from the crash without serious injuries.

   UsageSay in a crash: hurt in a car crash.

   Similarcollision, accident, wreck

2. 2
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To hit something or fall hard, often causing damage, or to make a car or plane do this.

   Like a tower of blocks falling down all at once.

   The plane crashed into the mountainside during the storm.

   Waves crash against the rocks all night long.

   UsageSay crash into the thing you hit, and crash to the ground when something falls.

   Similarsmash

3. 3
   stop working (computer)verbtransitive or intransitive

   When a computer or app suddenly stops working because something went wrong, or to make it do that.

   Like a machine that suddenly shuts off when something goes wrong inside.

   The app crashed right after I opened it.

   Old programs sometimes crash when memory runs low.

   UsageThe app crashes, or something crashes the app.

4. 4
   a market collapsenouncountable

   A sudden, big drop in business or in the price of stocks.

   Like prices falling off a cliff all at once.

   The stock market crash wiped out their savings.

   Many people lost their jobs after the crash.

   UsageOften stock market crash, or a year and crash: the 1929 crash.

   Similarcollapse, slump, meltdown, downturn

   Oppositeboom

   Note
5. 5
   verbintransitive

   To suddenly get much worse or fail completely.

   Like a tall tower of blocks that falls down all at once.

   The stock market can crash without much warning.

   Her health crashed after months of stress.

   UsageYou can add where it ends: prices crashed to a new low.

   Similarcollapse, fail, founder, fold

   Oppositethrive, flourish

   Note
6. 6
   a computer failurenouncountable

   A problem that makes a computer or program stop working.

   Like a machine that suddenly freezes and won't move.

   The game stopped after a sudden crash.

   A crash made me lose everything I had typed.

   Similarfailure, malfunction, breakdown

7. 7
   hit hardverbtransitive

   To hit or strike something with great force.

   Watch her crash the ball into the back of the net.

   She crashed a shot off the post in the last minute of the game.

   Similarsmash, slam

   Note
8. 8
   sleepverbslangintransitive

   To go to sleep, especially when you are very tired, or to sleep at someone's place for a night.

   Like falling asleep the moment your head hits the pillow.

   I just want to crash on the couch tonight.

   After the long flight, she crashed for ten hours.

   UsageSay crash on the couch or crash at a friend's house.

9. 9
   not invitedverbslangtransitive or intransitiveabbreviationellipsis

   Short form of gatecrash. It means to join a party or event you were not invited to.

   They tried to crash the wedding without an invitation.

   We might crash the after-party later tonight.

   Note
10. 10
    a loud noisenouncountable

    A sudden, very loud noise, like the sound of cymbals.

    Like the bang of two metal lids hit together.

    We heard a loud crash from the kitchen.

    The crash of thunder woke the baby.

    Similarbang, clash, boom, clatter

    Note
11. 11
    verbintransitive

    To suddenly make a very loud, banging noise.

    Like a drum that suddenly booms very loud.

    The cymbals crash at the end of the song.

    Thunder crashed loudly above the rooftops.

    Similarclash, bang, clatter

12. 12
    fast and intenseadjective

    Done very quickly and with great effort in a short time.

    Like learning everything the night before a big test.

    She took a crash course in Spanish before the trip.

    He went on a crash diet to lose weight fast.

    UsageIt comes before a noun: crash course, crash diet.

    Similarintensive, accelerated, rush

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