# smash

Pronunciation: say "SMASH" /smæʃ/

## Verb

1. To break something brittle into pieces using violent force.
   - Simple: To break something hard into pieces with great force.
   - _Vandals smashed every window in the abandoned factory._
   - _One careless swing can smash a ceramic bowl into fragments._
2. To strike something with extreme force.
   - Simple: To hit something with very great force.
   - _The batter smashed the ball deep into the outfield._
   - _Heavy waves can smash a small boat against the rocks._
4. To be broken into pieces as a result of a violent impact.
   - Simple: To break apart after being hit with great force.
   - _The plate smashed on the kitchen floor._
   - _Old windows smash easily during a strong storm._
5. To defeat someone completely and decisively in a contest.
   - Simple: To beat someone very badly in a game or contest.
   - _The champions smashed every team they faced this season._
   - _A well-prepared side can smash weaker opponents with ease._
6. To destroy something completely and abruptly.
   - Simple: To destroy someone's plans or hopes all at once.
   - _The scandal smashed her chances of winning the election._
   - _A single mistake can smash years of careful work._
9. To have sexual intercourse with someone. *(slang)*
   - Simple: To have sex with someone.
   - _He kept boasting that he had smashed her after the party._
   - _She made it clear she only wanted to smash him, nothing more._
12. To change the shape of something by pressing on it steadily and forcefully. *(US)*
   - Simple: To press something hard until it changes shape or becomes flat.
   - _Workers smash the scrap metal into compact blocks before shipping._
   - _He smashed the empty can under his boot until it was completely flat._

## Noun

3. A song, film, product, or similar thing that achieves great success and popularity. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A song, movie, or show that is very successful and popular.
   - _The band's first album was an instant smash._
   - _Critics predicted the play would be a smash on Broadway._
7. The loud noise of a violent impact, or the act of two things striking together forcefully.
   - Simple: The loud sound made when two things hit hard.
   - _The smash of breaking glass woke the whole house._
   - _There was a tremendous smash as the two trucks collided._
8. In tennis and similar racket sports, a forceful overhead shot struck sharply downward into the opponent's court.
   - Simple: In tennis, a hard shot hit downward from above your head.
   - _He leaped and finished the rally with a crushing smash._
   - _Her smash clipped the baseline for a clean winner._
10. A collision between vehicles, especially on a road. *(colloquial, Ireland, UK)*
   - Simple: A crash between vehicles on the road.
   - _The smash on the dual carriageway caused tailbacks for miles._
   - _Nobody was seriously hurt in the smash outside the pub._
11. A foodstuff that has been mashed into a soft pulp.
   - Simple: Cooked food that has been crushed into a soft, thick mush.
   - _She ordered avocado smash on sourdough for brunch._
   - _He prefers a coarse smash to a smooth puree._
16. A julep-style cocktail made with chunks of fresh fruit that can be eaten after the drink is finished.
   - Simple: A cold mixed drink made with fresh fruit pieces that you can eat once the drink is gone.
   - _The bartender muddled mint and peaches into a summer smash._
   - _They sipped bourbon smashes on the porch all evening._
17. Airspeed; the dynamic pressure produced by an aircraft's motion through the air. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: The speed at which an aircraft is moving through the air.
   - _Fighter pilots talk about keeping their smash up in a dogfight._
   - _The jet bled off smash as it pulled hard through the turn._

## Noun

13. A disaster or thoroughly bad situation. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A complete disaster or a really bad situation.
   - _The bank's collapse threw the town's finances into a complete smash._
   - _He returned from the war to find his affairs in a sad smash._
14. Destruction; the state of being utterly wrecked. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: The complete destruction of something, broken beyond repair.
   - _The bombardment reduced the harbor to smash._
   - _The reckless policy drove the whole enterprise to smash._
15. A bankruptcy; a financial collapse. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A time when a person or business runs out of money and fails.
   - _The railway's smash wiped out thousands of small investors._
   - _After the smash, creditors seized everything the firm owned._

## Verb

18. To collapse into ruin; to fail in a sudden, disastrous way. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To fail completely and fall into total ruin.
   - _The speculative venture smashed within a year of its launch._
   - _Overextended firms smash the moment credit dries up._
19. To pass counterfeit money; to put forged currency into circulation as though it were genuine. *(obsolete, Ireland, UK)*
   - Simple: To spend fake money as if it were real.

## Origin

The origin is uncertain, but it is probably onomatopoeic, imitating a sound. It may be compared with Swedish smask ("to smack with the lips") and Danish smaske ("to smack with the lips").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/smash (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).